Caron Lindsay

LibLink: Nick Clegg: Slam the door on EU migrants and it is Britain that will get hurt

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 22nd December 2013 - 9:33 am

There are many Liberal Democrats, myself included, who feel distinctly uneasy about the changes that the Coalition has made to EU benefits changes, agreed to by Nick Clegg. My personal view is that while these changes save the country a very small amount of money, tackling a problem that doesn’t really exist, we lose a lot more by ceding ground to UKIP and the Tory right.

From Nick’s point of view, though, he feels that he’s agreed to it to make the system fairer and acceptable to British taxpayers in the current climate. He’s fine with free movement around the …

Continue reading »
Posted in LibLink | Tagged , , and | 41 Comments
Advert
Stephen Tall

Government reshuffle: party members’ views on Moore, Heath and Browne

By Stephen Tall | Sat 21st December 2013 - 3:55 pm

Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum  to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. Some 750 party members responded – thank you – and we’re publishing the full results.

News of this week’s mini-reshuffle – Simon Hughes’s elevation to government in place of Lord (Tom) McNally – came too late to be included in our latest survey. But we did ask about the previous reshuffle in October, when Nick Clegg made a number of changes to the Lib Dem ministerial ranks, including his first sacking …

Continue reading »
Posted in LDV Members poll | Tagged , and | 4 Comments
The Voice

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

By The Voice | Sat 21st December 2013 - 1:45 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:

Continue reading »
Posted in Site news | 1 Comment
NewsHound

LibLink: Tim Farron: Ukraine – why they want to be in

By NewsHound | Sat 21st December 2013 - 11:07 am

Tim Farron, who’s chair of the European election campaign as well as party president, has been writing all over the place on all sorts of EU issues at the moment. The other day it was fish, and now he’s taking a look at why many in the Ukraine are protesting in the streets for closer ties with the EU.

It is easy to get lost in the hysterical UK debate and lose perspective on the EU but we must remember that Europe remains a beacon for hope for millions of people in countries like the Ukraine and in autocratic Belarus.

…

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged , and | 6 Comments
The Voice

Ibrahim Taguri selected for Brent Central PPC

By The Voice | Fri 20th December 2013 - 9:12 pm

Ibrahim Taguri selected for Brent CentralBrent Central Liberal Democrats have selected Ibrahim Taguri as their successor to Sarah Teather to stand at thee 2015 General Election.

Ibrahim born in Brent, grew up in Willesden Green and has spent many years working in the charitable sector.

Continue reading »
Posted in Selection news | Tagged , and | 2 Comments
Advert
Mark Valladares

This week’s by-elections: a come from behind upset in Lincolnshire brightens an otherwise grim scene*

By Mark Valladares | Fri 20th December 2013 - 5:43 pm

Lincolnshire wasn’t kind to Liberal Democrats in the 2013 County elections, with our vote share dropping by three-quarters and two of our five seats lost, so a December by-election in Scotter Rural wouldn’t have seemed to be promising much other than more pain, especially with UKIP in second place in May, but in a fine rebound, the seat was gained from the Conservatives on a 22% swing.

Many congratulations to Lesley and the team, in an area of recent, and hopefully future, Liberal Democrat strength.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged | 46 Comments
Caron Lindsay

Man convicted of killing former Lib Dem Council leader John Morrison

By Caron Lindsay | Fri 20th December 2013 - 5:43 pm

Almost exactly a year ago, former Lib Dem East Dunbartonshire council leader John Morrison died after being assaulted o on the way home from a night out in Glasgow.

Today, the BBC reports::

A man has been convicted of killing a former East Dunbartonshire council leader days before Christmas last year.

Darren Murphy, 25, punched 50-year-old John Morrison on the head in Dunlop Street, Glasgow, on 22 December, causing him to fall over.

Mr Morrison died after striking his head on the ground. Murphy left him in the street to go to a nightclub.

There is quite a lot more detail, but …

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged | Leave a comment
Bill le Breton

Opinion: Half an hour that changed the future

By Bill le Breton | Fri 20th December 2013 - 3:43 pm

Yesterday, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) announced it would reduce or ‘taper’ its level of QE acquisitions from $85 billion a month to $75 billion. In the physical world it was not a touch on the break so much as a slight easing of pressure on the accelerator.

Back in September the FOMC had announced it thought the time for ‘tapering’ was at hand. Long term interest rates (a window on future expectation for growth and inflation) veered up and down as markets tried to gauge the warring claims of the liquidity, income and expectation effects. No clarity: US stock …

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Tagged | 23 Comments
Mark Valladares

2013 @ALDEParty Congress: a manifesto is born

By Mark Valladares | Fri 20th December 2013 - 2:41 pm

ALDE has become the first of the European political parties to release its manifesto for next year’s European elections.

As ALDE Party President, Sir Graham Watson notes;

This manifesto is a departure from the norm – it has been forged in the heat of the crisis Europe has been weathering for a number of years now. I am pleased that it demands a stronger union to serve our interests while calling for a cutback in top-heavy, unnecessary and costly bureaucracy. A stronger, simpler union is what we all want and need and that is what our manifesto delivers. It is a solid

…

Continue reading »
Posted in Europe / International and News | Tagged and | 1 Comment
Alisdair Calder McGregor

Porn blocking comes in… and blocks the LGBT+LD website as porn

By Alisdair Calder McGregor | Fri 20th December 2013 - 1:46 pm

As many readers will remember, during the debate on motion F17 at Autumn Conference many speeches were made by technically inclined LibDem members describing how the proposed porn blocks would not work, and in particular would misclassify and block legitimate websites as containing pornographic content.

Just in case we needed confirmation that we were right, TalkTalk have provided it… by classifying the LGBT+LD portion of the party website as porn. In addition, the website of LGBT charity “London Friend” has been blocked. These are not isolated incidents. Wired has a more in-depth …

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged and | 50 Comments
Rumi Verjee

Lord Rumi Verjee’s maiden speech

By Rumi Verjee | Fri 20th December 2013 - 12:55 pm

It is a tradition for LDV to bring its readers copies of our new MPs’ and Peers’ first words in Parliament, so that we can read what is being said and respond. You can find all of the speeches in this category with this link. Last Thursday, Lord Verjee made his maiden speech in the House of Lords during a debate on the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. His words are reproduced below.

Lord Verjee (LD): My Lords, it is with a very full set of emotions that I stand before noble Lords this afternoon …

Continue reading »
Posted in News, Parliament and Speeches | Tagged , and | 5 Comments
Mark Valladares

The ten most active MPs on Twitter are…

By Mark Valladares | Fri 20th December 2013 - 11:40 am

Courtesy of John Rentoul, news reaches us of a list of the ten most active MPs on Twitter in 2013.

top tweeters

Yes, it’s our Tim and our Julian at the top of the list, with an honourable mention for Greg Mulholland.

Tim has managed an incredible fifty tweets a day this year, and probably should avoid piers for a while. And for anyone out there who wonders, it is him, and not a staffer, as those of us who have discovered that, by mentioning Tim in a tweet, you …

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged , , and | 1 Comment
NewsHound

LibLink: Tessa Munt: “You don’t have to love the Tories to work with them”

By NewsHound | Fri 20th December 2013 - 10:18 am

In the Daily Mirror, MP for Wells, Tessa Munt (and potential candidate to be Deputy Leader?), has been taking our case to its readers;

We’ve delivered more policies we’ve been working on for some time – like free school meals for primary school children, a supermarket Ombudsman and shared parental leave.

Most importantly of all, we’ve done even more to make our tax system fairer – taking the low paid out of paying income tax altogether and nailing an agreement to give workers a bonus of over £700 in April next year by raising the point when you start paying tax.

…

Continue reading »
Posted in LibLink and News | Tagged | 19 Comments
Stephen Tall

What Lib Dem members think about the way the Coalition is cutting spending to reduce the deficit

By Stephen Tall | Fri 20th December 2013 - 9:35 am

Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum  to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. Some 750 party members responded – thank you – and we’re publishing the full results.

The economy may be recovering but cuts to public spending are going to be with us for some time no matter who’s in government. I wanted to test attitudes among Lib Dems to how the cuts are being handled. The questions below mirror those which have been asked by YouGov since summer 2010 (you can access the results here, from page 27).

Thinking about the way the government is cutting spending to reduce the government’s deficit, do you think this is…

    Good or bad for the economy?
Continue reading »
Posted in LDV Members poll | 4 Comments
Mark Valladares

Welcome to my day: 20 December

By Mark Valladares | Fri 20th December 2013 - 8:11 am

Sivuqaq the walrusThere appears to be no escape from day editor duty for this walrus, but it’s the last Friday before Christmas, Parliament has adjourned until 7 January, and most of you are beginning to think about presents, turkey and things that rhyme with holly. However, my colleagues in LDV Towers are still beavering away, and there’s still quite a lot happening, so let’s see what we’ve got today.

We’ve got some good news from Lincolnshire, with a marvellous by-election gain, and the pan-European Liberal manifesto for next year’s elections has been …

Continue reading »
Posted in News | 1 Comment
Linda Jack

Opinion: Justice for Simon Hughes

By Linda Jack | Thu 19th December 2013 - 5:45 pm

As someone who has never exactly been a supporter, there have been very few bright spots in the otherwise suffocatingly dark firmament which is the Coalition Government.  One was and is the appointment of Norman Lamb as Care Minister who has been doing a remarkable job, also the undoubted achievements of Lynne Featherstone.  So the news yesterday that Simon Hughes has been appointed a justice minister was one of those rare occasions when some of my perennial despair was tinged with just a little hope.

I have a lot of time for Tom McNally and I think he …

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 8 Comments
Lord Roger Roberts

Lord Roger Roberts writes…Liberal Democrats in Government must fix failing asylum system

By Lord Roger Roberts | Thu 19th December 2013 - 4:45 pm

Yesterday was International Migrants Day. Sadly, celebrations for many were rather subdued.  morning marked the end of a long, hard and emotionally-charged  battle. Isa Muazu, a 45 year old asylum seeker from northern Nigeria, who had been on hunger strike for nearly 90 days, landed in Lagos, Nigeria.

Lawyers and campaigners fighting his cause ran out of avenues through which they could challenge the removal decision in the limited time-frame given. The case has been enormously distressing for many of those who have chosen to engage with it, but it has also raised the profile of many long-standing concerns surrounding immigration detention in …

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged , , and | 2 Comments
NewsHound

LibLink: Sir Nick Harvey MP: Time to reform EU defence policy and make Britain safer

By NewsHound | Thu 19th December 2013 - 3:59 pm

Over at British Influence, Sir Nick Harvey has been writing about today’s EU meeting on defence co-operation and what he thinks could be achieved from it.

He sets out why co-operation is a good idea

EU defence cooperation has a crucial role to play in achieving security around the globe and preventing an onslaught of failed states. This is clearly in the UK’s national interest since failed states create a series of associated and interlinked problems which impact on the UK, such as severe poverty, irregular migration and terrorism – as we have seen in the case of Al-Shabaab in Somalia.

There have

…

Continue reading »
Posted in Europe / International and LibLink | Tagged , , and | 8 Comments
Ed Davey

Ed Davey MP writes: Energy Act will create 200,000 green jobs

By Ed Davey | Thu 19th December 2013 - 2:59 pm

We will have to get used to calling it an Act, as the Energy Bill that I’ve been driving through Parliament is now law.

Creating the world’s first ever low carbon electricity market is a major achievement for the Liberal Democrats and the Coalition.  And it has been delivered on time.

So, what will the Energy Act deliver?

It will create 200,000 green jobs.

The framework we’ve now put in place will create 250,000 jobs in the energy sector by 2020 – and 200,000 of them in renewables.  The investment that we’re unlocking will produce green jobs up and down the country in offshore …

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 16 Comments
Caron Lindsay

Jo Swinson on lives blighted by poor body confidence

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 19th December 2013 - 1:25 pm

jo swinson Alex Folkes/Fishnik PhotographyI wish Jo Swinson had been around when I was a teenager. My self-loathing teenage self could have done with a friendly looking government minister, a shining example of healthy living, telling me that the images society measured me against were unattainable and I should just concentrate on enjoying life and living healthily, taking loads of exercise and not being obsessed with weight and crash dieting.

Last week, someone posted a photo on a Facebook group about Inverness which had a 12 year old me in it. It took me quite aback to realise that, actually, I didn’t really look that bad. At that age, I thought I was hideous. Too fat, too hairy, too spotty. No way would I ever be able to be as pretty and, by extension, likeable as the girls in Blue Jeans and Jackie’s photo stories. My teenage story was one of intense anxiety, depression  which has undoubtedly cast a long shadow on my life. There were times when I didn’t believe I had the right to leave the house, let alone participate in anything at school. It wasn’t all to do with body image, but it seemed that everything I saw and everybody I came across in my life reinforced that image. There was no respite and no escape.

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged and | 30 Comments
Tim Farron MP

Tim Farron MP writes: Liberal Democrats must stand up against blanket internet surveillance

By Tim Farron MP | Thu 19th December 2013 - 12:00 pm

I regularly get asked “who are your Liberal Heroes?” and I’ll reel off a list of people like Beveridge, Penhaligon and Paddy Ashdown and usually the person who has asked the question nods and smiles. Then I will tell them that the person I most admire is Harry Willcock. That’s typically met with a look of bemusement! I got similar looks of bewilderment when I cited Harry in 2005 in one of my first speeches in the House of Commons when I opposed Labours ID cards bill…

But Harry is at the top of my list because he was the Liberal that helped stop ID Cards in …

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 5 Comments
Newsmoggie

LibLink: Stephen Tall: Where the parties are at the end of 2013 and what they face in 2014

By Newsmoggie | Thu 19th December 2013 - 11:15 am

Stephen has been writing over at Conservative Home again. This time, he’s done his end of year report for each of the main parties.  The Telegraph’s Toby Young even complimented it. Here are some snippets:

Labour

With economic growth returning, Labour has deftly segued their economic attack. The assault on public spending cuts that go “too far, too fast” has been ditched, and in its place is a new refrain, “the Tory cost-of-living crisis”. It’s an ingenious line, tapping into the lag between the nascent recovery and people’s wages, with Ed Miliband’s populist pledge to freeze energy prices for 20 months

…

Continue reading »
Posted in LibLink | Tagged , and | 15 Comments
Christine Humphreys

Baroness Christine Humphreys’ maiden speech

By Christine Humphreys | Thu 19th December 2013 - 10:18 am

It is a tradition for LDV to bring its readers copies of our new MPs’ and Peers’ first words in Parliament, so that we can read what is being said and respond. You can find all of the speeches in this category with this link. On 28 November, Baroness Humphreys made her maiden speech in the House of Lords during a debate on broadcast media and its role in the economy. Her words are reproduced below.

Baroness Humphreys (LD): My Lords, I thank my noble friend for initiating this debate and for allowing me the opportunity to make …

Continue reading »
Posted in News, Parliament and Speeches | Tagged , and | 1 Comment
Stephen Tall

EXCLUSIVE: What Lib Dem members think about the Lib Dems and the Coalition

By Stephen Tall | Thu 19th December 2013 - 9:32 am

Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum  to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. Some 750 party members responded – thank you – and we’re publishing the full results.

Members back Coalition with Conservatives by 80% to 17%

Do you support or oppose the Lib Dems being in the Coalition Government with the Conservatives?

    80% (+1%) – Support

    17% (n/c) – Oppose

    3% (n/c) – Don’t know / No opinion

No matter what the travails of the Coalition — and there have been plenty in …

Continue reading »
Posted in LDV Members poll | Tagged | 18 Comments
Ed Davey

Edward Davey MP writes: Liberal Democrats continue to oppose Heathrow expansion

By Ed Davey | Wed 18th December 2013 - 6:20 pm

The Davies Commission’s interim report published yesterday has elicited many column inches in the newspapers but little clarity from the other two major parties as to the basis on which they will judge the final report.

In contrast, Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats made our approach to the Davies Commission clear yesterday. We will not endorse an expansion in airport capacity which would increase noise pollution for the hundreds of thousands of residents living beneath the flight path or break the Committee on Climate Change’s recommendations on aviation. Of course we will look at what the final …

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , , and | 8 Comments
Stephen Tall

Lib Dem Deputy Leadership – runners and riders. Who’s your choice?

By Stephen Tall | Wed 18th December 2013 - 5:25 pm

There will be a Lib Dem deputy leadership election in the new year, following (as Caron reported earlier) Simon Hughes’s surprise appointment as Minister for Justice, replacing Lord (Tom) McNally.

The post’s full title is Deputy Leader of the Parliamentary Party in the House of Commons – so the ballot is restricted to MPs. Last time round, in summer 2010 following Vince Cable resignation to take up the post of Business Secretary, it was contested by Simon and by Tim Farron. Simon beat Tim by 38 votes to 18.

The party’s standing orders were changed following the …

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged and | 55 Comments
Ian Jones

Opinion: Europe and peace – the ties that bind and the dangers of the rise of the right

By Ian Jones | Wed 18th December 2013 - 4:30 pm

There are many sound economic reasons why Britain’s continued membership of the EU is good for our country and for Europe itself. We are already making that case as the Euro elections approach in May 2014 and must continue to do so.

However, there is one over-riding reason that is barely getting mentioned as the whiff of ‘little-Englander patriotism’ in euro-sceptic campaigning risks once again becoming the stench of right-wing xenophobic nationalism in Britain and across Europe.

The historical development of the EU has provided the ties that bind European nations together in peace after a century of vicious blood-letting, including the …

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 9 Comments
Caron Lindsay

EDMWatch #6 Pubs, badgers and elephants – but what about people?

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 18th December 2013 - 3:23 pm

We take  an occasional look at the Early Day Motions tabled by MPs. These are basically House of Commons petition and are used to raise awareness of an issue. One of the biggest elements of an MP’s postbag or inbox is a pile of requests from supporters of a particular organisation or charity to sign a particular EDM. As a rule, ministers don’t sign EDMs.

Most popular

Winning for this session so far is our own Greg Mulholland’s EDM 57, on getting pub tenants a fair deal from breweries, signed by 166 MPs.

Now this is where I get annoyed, …

Continue reading »
Posted in Parliament | Tagged and | 4 Comments
The Voice

++ Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes replaces Lord McNally as Justice Minister

By The Voice | Wed 18th December 2013 - 2:42 pm

Simon HughesNews just in:

Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Simon Hughes has replaced Lord (Tom) McNally as the Liberal Democrat Minister of State for Justice.

Lord McNally has been appointed as the new Chair of the Youth Justice Board, a post which he will take up in mid-March 2014. Simon Hughes will take over as Justice Minister with immediate effect.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said:

“Tom McNally has been a fantastic minister who has pushed through a Liberal agenda in the Ministry of Justice. He will now bring the same

…

Continue reading »
Posted in News | Tagged , , , and | 20 Comments
Caron Lindsay

Why you need to register for Liberal Democrat Spring conference NOW

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 18th December 2013 - 12:00 pm

I’ve just thought to myself that I’d just take 5 minutes to register for Liberal Democrat Spring conference in York, which takes place from 7-9 March. Every time I’ve thought that in the past couple of months since registration opened, I’ve never done anything about it, thinking that it was fine,  I had till 31st December to get the cheap rate, don’t need to do it now. By some minor miracle, while procrastinating from something else, I got as far as the Conference registration page this morning.

Then, of course, I couldn’t remember my user name. I tried all the …

Continue reading »
Posted in Conference and Op-eds | Tagged | 4 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Jason Connor
    Yes it's the upper middle classes store of choice. Not a Tescos, Aldi, Lidl or Asda even in sight...
  • Phil Wainewright
    @tony/Cumbria - As Lenin supposedly said, “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen" @Graham Jeffs - The consumeri...
  • peter wrigley
    Your five points are perfectly sound , but they omit the main purpose of our party, which is surely to protect and improve Liberal Democracy both this country ...
  • David Raw
    Paul. I'm afraid you can't deny that the party of 'Middle England' is also the Waitrose party....
  • Graham Jeffs
    Phil, you are right - a twenty-five-year span. Yet having a vision with a philosophy supported by sensible policies is but part of the issue. It seems likely ...