Sam Phripp

As David Heath stands down, local councillor Sam Phripp pays a personal tribute

By Sam Phripp | Tue 15th October 2013 - 2:10 pm

On Friday night at a constituency meeting, David Heath, my MP, my boss and my friend told Liberal Democrats that he won’t be seeking re-election in 2015. I couldn’t honestly write down all the things that I was feeling then – sometimes we’re feeling too many things at the same time.

I wanted to write now and talk about the man that I know, and how him standing down will be a great personal loss so many people in Somerton and Frome.

To me, David Heath isn’t a politician, he’s the chap who knew instinctively to ask about my A-Level results …

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Helen Duffett

Jim Wallace new leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords

By Helen Duffett | Tue 15th October 2013 - 1:08 pm

Lord Wallace of Tankerness was today elected as the new leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords.

The former Deputy First Minister of Scotland replaces Tom McNally, who stepped down earlier this month after nine years at the helm.

Lord Wallace was the only candidate to have put his name forward when nominations for the leadership contest closed at 12pm today.

Lord Wallace said:

It is a great privilege as well as an exciting challenge to have been elected as Leader of the Liberal Democrat peers.

As someone who has already led a parliamentary group in coalition

…

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David Laws

David Laws writes: Reforming Labour’s league tables will end the race to the middle

By David Laws | Tue 15th October 2013 - 11:37 am

schoolsignThe Conservative Chair of the Education Select Committee today praised an “educational breakthrough”.

At the same time, his Labour predecessor welcomed what he said was the best announcement the coalition has made since coming to power in 2010.

It’s not often our political opponents come together to support a Liberal Democrat manifesto commitment, but that’s exactly what happened in the House of Commons yesterday.  Indeed, people across and outside the political spectrum have welcomed our radical shake up of school league tables, that will finally set teachers free to focus on every child rather than the few in the middle.

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Mary Reid

‘Brent councillor moves his surgery underground’

By Mary Reid | Tue 15th October 2013 - 10:08 am

So the leader of the Lib Dems on Brent Council is planning to hold surgeries in a Tube Station. Cllr Paul Lorber will hold a monthly surgery for local residents in the volunteer library at Sudbury Town station on the Piccadilly Line.

I see a challenge coming on.

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Julian Huppert

Julian Huppert writes: Working towards a competent immigration system

By Julian Huppert | Tue 15th October 2013 - 8:55 am

immigrationAs a liberal, I believe that we benefit from immigration. Overall, this country is a richer place, economically and culturally, because we have people from around the world coming here to work, study and play. I want to see an immigration system that works, is fair and allows us to benefit from the best and brightest as well as offering sanctuary and asylum for those fleeing the most desperate situations imaginable abroad.

However, that case is not made often enough. We hear constant rhetoric from the Tories and the right wing press about how we must clamp down on foreigners, and Labour …

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Josephine Suherman

2014 Councillor Achievement Awards are now open for nominations

By Josephine Suherman | Mon 14th October 2013 - 4:30 pm

Do you know an inspirational councillor who has gone above and beyond expectations to serve their community?

The LGiU and CCLA are delighted to announce that the 2014 Annual Cllr Achievement Awards are now open for nominations. Back for a fifth year, the Cllr Awards are the only national awards ceremony to celebrate the outstanding work of councillors from across the political spectrum.

Councillors play a vital role in championing the interests of their communities, but all too often their contributions can be overlooked and undervalued. The C’llr Awards provides a brilliant opportunity to highlight the dedication and commitment …

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Posted in Local government and The Independent View | Tagged | 3 Comments
Danny Alexander MP

Danny Alexander MP writes… This is the Liberal Democrats’ policy and everybody knows it

By Danny Alexander MP | Mon 14th October 2013 - 3:50 pm

The Conservatives may claim to be the party of hardworking people. But the same cannot be said for their policy wonks. According to today’s Financial Times, the Conservatives are apparently considering a proposal for their manifesto to increase the personal allowance to £12,500. An almost identical idea to our own policy of raising the personal allowance to the minimum wage that we first passed in our spring conference of 2012 and reaffirmed just one month ago at our Autumn conference in Glasgow. Once again, it is the Liberal Democrats who are shaping the future of the British tax system.
…

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Jonathan Hunt

Obituary: Stan Hardy

By Jonathan Hunt | Mon 14th October 2013 - 2:53 pm

Stan HardyStan Hardy, who died last Thursday aged 93, was the party activist’s activist. He devoted more than 65 years to Dulwich Liberal & Radical Association and its later manifestations, to the borough of Southwark, and to the party as a whole. Although he never sought public office, Stan’s influence was high among Liberals of all classes and ages. He was also a doughty champion and campaigner for many causes, especially for the NHS and against Labour-run Southwark council.

Stan and his wife Maud, who he married in 1948, belonged to that dedicated group who kept the party alive in south London during the 1950s and into the Grimond era of the 1960s. Stan’n’Maud were ever-present at Liberal assemblies, and then Liberal Democrat conferences. It was their annual holiday, a break from the successful printing business they ran in Camberwell. They were also to be seen at most of the important by-elections throughout the country, from Orpington onwards.

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Posted in Obituaries | 6 Comments
Stephen Tall

How you can take part in LibDemVoice’s exclusive party member surveys

By Stephen Tall | Mon 14th October 2013 - 1:25 pm

LibDemVoice’s surveys of party members signed-up to our discussion forum have been running for close to four years now. (I posted yesterday the final set of figures from our most recent poll.)

Our surveys are a way of testing members’ views on a variety of hot topics. And as they’ve been running throughout the first three-and-a-half years of the Coalition they’re also an interesting record of changing views on how the Coalition is regarded within the party.

If you would like to take part in the LibDemVoice surveys, there are simply two steps you need to follow:
1) Be a current Lib …

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Caron Lindsay

Sexual Risk orders: something liberals should be worried about?

By Caron Lindsay | Mon 14th October 2013 - 12:21 pm

Over the next two days, the Commons will complete its debates on the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill. Liberty have already expressed concern about some of the measures within it:

The Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Bill proposes to replace existing orders (such as ASBOs) with a new  generation of injunctions which are easier to obtain, harder to comply with and have harsher penalties. The Bill would also introduce unfair double punishment for the vulnerable, as social tenants and their families will face mandatory eviction for breaching a term of an injunction. Other measures in the Bill include some

…

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The Voice

Carmichael behind in first major test since becoming Secretary of State for Scotland

By The Voice | Mon 14th October 2013 - 10:25 am

We all know that Secretary of State for Scotland Alistair Carmichael likes a social drink or two, although as he says himself  “please do not take this to mean that I have any sort of addiction issue.” So many of his friends were surprised when he decided to take part in Macmillan Cancer Relief’s Go Sober for October fundraising campaign.

The ante was considerably upped during the first week when his old friend, ace campaigner and party legend Sheila Ritchie, decided on a Twitter whim to take part as well and challenged Alistair to a competition to see which of them could raise the most money.

This, of course, was all before Alistair was promoted to the Cabinet. Imagine having to face Theresa May, Chris Grayling and Iain Duncan Smith without being able to have a wee dram.

We aren’t half way through October yet, but at the time of writing, Sheila is some £300 ahead of Alistair, with £1025 pledged to his £710.

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Paul Walter

Opinion: We’ve reached the “Ain’t you got any homes to go to?” stage at the Last Chance Saloon

By Paul Walter | Mon 14th October 2013 - 8:55 am

Last Chance SaloonThe Newspaper Society is kicking up an almighty fuss about the proposed press Royal Charter. Historically, their biggest campaign has been to avoid tax on newspapers. So let’s not kid ourselves. This is the most self-serving grouping (which is fair enough).

We are told that the Royal Charter has been dreamed up by politicians to impose a state press regulator. Roll on the 30th October, when hopefully this sort of ridiculous hyperbole will diminish as the Mexican stand-off ends.

Actually, elected legislators pass the laws in this country. It seems newspapers have …

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Ewan Hoyle

Opinion: Being tough on drugs means being pro-reform

By Ewan Hoyle | Sun 13th October 2013 - 5:00 pm

The Sunday Times is claiming to have knowledge of the results of Jeremy Browne’s drug policy “grand tour”. In an article today, Put that in your pipe, Mrs May, the paper describes many conclusions expected to feature in the final report which will bring great cheer to the ordinary Liberal Democrat member:

“A review ordered by Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, and due to be published before Christmas, is expected to suggest Britain could benefit from emulating two American states where the use of recreational cannabis is legal. The Home Office report is also expected to call for

…

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Stephen Tall

Nick Clegg’s Letter from the Leader: “Only the Liberal Democrats are, unambiguously, the party of ‘In’.”

By Stephen Tall | Sun 13th October 2013 - 3:00 pm

This week the Lib Dems got #WhyIamIn trending on Twitter to launch the party’s campaign to show the positive benefits of British membership of the European Union. Nick Clegg takes up the cause in his weekly letter, making the point you’ll hear a lot between now and next May’s Euro elections: “Only the Liberal Democrats are, unambiguously, the party of ‘In’.” As I pointed out this week, it’s not just a cause the vast majority of the party passionately believes in — it’s also smart electoral politics. Here’s Nick’s letter in full…

libdem letter from nick clegg

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The Voice

Did Nick Harvey turn down the job of Lib Dem chief whip?

By The Voice | Sun 13th October 2013 - 1:30 pm

nick harvey weaponSir Nick Harvey, summarily sacked as defence minister by Nick Clegg a year ago, was offered a job in government at last week’s reshuffle — at least according to James Forsyth in the Mail on Sunday:

The Lib Dem leader had hoped Nick Harvey would be his Chief Whip. But, to Clegg’s surprise, Harvey turned down the job. ‘Clegg was gobsmacked,’ one Lib Dem tells me. The Deputy Prime Minister didn’t expect him to reject an invitation to join his inner circle. Harvey had been sounded out about taking

…

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The Voice

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

By The Voice | Sun 13th October 2013 - 12:30 pm

Many thanks to the 18,000 visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here’s our 7 most-read posts…

…

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David Babbs

38 Degrees on the Lobbying Bill: Let’s hope the House of Lords sorts it out

By David Babbs | Sun 13th October 2013 - 11:15 am

30 Degrees Gagging LawIt was heartening to see an increased number of Liberal Democrat MPs vote against the Lobbying Bill, or ‘gagging law’, this Wednesday. But the majority of Lib Dem MPs voted loyally in support of the government. Overall, this week parliament did nothing to dispel the perception that the gagging law is being actively driven by Lib Dems.

Why is this? Most Lib Dems tend to assume it’s a Conservative bill driven by Andrew Lansley. Amongst those closer to the party leadership, the tone is more bullish and the attitude towards the bill’s critics is actively hostile. Those that fall between the two camps say that the bill is well-intentioned but has unintended consequences which need fixing.

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The Voice

Lib Dem councillor Sarah Brown 27th most influential on Indy’s 2013 Pink List

By The Voice | Sun 13th October 2013 - 11:08 am

Sarah_Brown_(politician)Many congratulations to Sarah Brown, Cambridge Lib Dem councillor, who has been ranked in today’s Independent on Sunday Pink List 2013 as the 27th most influential campaigner making a difference for a more equal society. That, incidentally, puts her one place higher than Eddie Mair…

27. (34) Sarah Brown
Councillor

The Cambridge Councillor is the only out transgender politician in Britain. Representing the Liberal Democrats for the Petersfield Ward, Brown has been made the Executive Councillor for Community Well-Being this year. A member of the LGBT and Liberal Democrats Executive, she is also

…

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Atul Hatwal

Labour Uncut editor Atul Hatwal writes… The two paths to a Labour deal with the Lib Dems

By Atul Hatwal | Sun 13th October 2013 - 10:15 am

There’s a lot of nonsense talked about the Lib Dems. Intermittent stories about a UKIP surge into third and a Lib Dem collapse to below 10% at the election are symptomatic of an excitable Westminster bubble rather than the reality on the ground.

I write this not as a committed Lib Dem supporter, hoping for the best. Far from it, I’m lifelong Labour (boo, hiss) and even edit a Labour blog – Labour Uncut. But if Labour want to maximise their chances of becoming the government after the next election, it’s important that they take a realistic view of …

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Posted in The Independent View | Tagged and | 19 Comments
Stephen Tall

What Lib Dem members think of the Coalition with 18 months of it left

By Stephen Tall | Sun 13th October 2013 - 8:30 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. Almost 700 party members responded – thank you – and we’re publishing the full results.

Apologies: I failed to publish our regular Coalition tracker survey results owing to the general hecticness of conference season. However, here they are now… Please bear in mind, though, the figures below are a month old. All comparisons are with our most recent survey conducted in July 2013.)

56% of Lib Dems say party on “right course”

Do …

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Posted in LDV Members poll | 8 Comments
The Voice

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

By The Voice | Sat 12th October 2013 - 6:50 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 week:

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The Voice

LDVideo: Vince Cable praises Royal Mail’s “very good launch” onto the stock market

By The Voice | Sat 12th October 2013 - 2:30 pm

Royal Mail shares soared on their first day’s floatation yesterday, prompting inevitable accusations that the company had been priced too low. Here’s Lib Dem business secretary Vince Cable explaining his aim to assure long-term investment irrespective of the froth of the “spivs and speculators”:

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Stephen Tall

Reshuffle redux: how Lib Dem members rated the ministerial performances of the sacked and the promoted

By Stephen Tall | Sat 12th October 2013 - 11:55 am

I posted earlier the most recent ratings by Lib Dem members of the party’s government ministers. Here’s how those affected by the reshuffle have done over the three-plus years we’ve been running our members’ surveys…

Sacked

Michael Moore (Secretary of State for Scotland, May 2010 to Oct 2013)

michael moore performance

Jeremy Browne (Minister – Foreign Office, May 2010 to Sept 2012; Minister – Home Office, Sept 2012 to Oct 2013)

jeremy browne performance

David Heath (Deputy Leader – Commons, May 2010 to Sept 2012; Minister …

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Stephen Tall

Who’s up, who’s down? How party members rate the performances of leading Lib Dems

By Stephen Tall | Sat 12th October 2013 - 10:45 am

Lib Dem Voice polled our members-only forum in September to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. Almost 700 party members responded – thank you – and we’re publishing the full results.

Apologies: I failed to publish this list owing to the general hecticness of conference season. The reshuffle reminded me it needed doing as this is the last time this exact list will be published… Please bear in mind, though, the figures below are now a month old.

LDV asked: How would you rate the performances of the following leading Liberal Democrats and government ministers?

Full results are published below, but here’s two key lists for those who want to cut to the chase… (with comparison to July 2013 ratings in brackets)

Top 5 Lib Dem performers in the Government:

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Posted in LDV Members poll | 5 Comments
Alice Sachrajda

Closed for business? The UK needs more foreign students

By Alice Sachrajda | Sat 12th October 2013 - 9:03 am

Heathrow Immigration QueuesConflating international students’ use of the health service with so-called ‘health tourism’ sends out the wrong message to prospective students.

The government’s new Immigration Bill, according to immigration minister Mark Harper will:

Stop migrants using public services to which they are not entitled, reduce the pull factors which encourage people to come to the UK and make it easier to remove people who should not be here.

The measures focus on enforcement and clamping down. They include a requirement for temporary migrants, such as overseas students, to make a contribution to the National Health Service to prevent so-called “health tourism”.

International students make up around half of all migrants coming to the UK. According to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, they contributed £13.1 billion to the national economy in 2011.

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Stephen Tall

++ David Heath announces he will stand down as an MP in 2015

By Stephen Tall | Fri 11th October 2013 - 8:25 pm

Lib Dem MP for Somerton and Frome David Heath, who earlier this week lost his rural affairs ministerial job, will stand down at the next election:

 

Elected in 1997 by just 130 votes, David has been re-elected a further three times with increasing majorities – by 2010 it had grown to 1,817. However, there’s no doubt that his decision to retire will make the scrap to hold this seat against the Conservatives even tighter in 2015.

Update: Saturday AM

The Frome Standard reports David telling a constituency meeting last night:

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Want to buy a bandstand? Bracknell Lib Dems have one for sale on ebay

By Andy Boddington | Fri 11th October 2013 - 4:30 pm

When I joined the Lib Dem Voice editing team, I knew I would have to edit and write about a huge range of politics, skulduggery, Uncle Tom Cobley and all. Never once, not even in my dreams, or even nightmares, did I think I would write about a bandstand.

Or for that matter a bandstand put up on ebay for sale by Lib Dems. Here is the billing:

Bracknell Bandstand ebay

Now this bandstand has history. It’s is fair to say that Bracknell is not the most vibrant or attractive of …

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Posted in News | Tagged | 7 Comments
Newsmoggie

Nick Clegg celebrates 40 years of LBC and asks for a forty year contract

By Newsmoggie | Fri 11th October 2013 - 3:33 pm

It begins with a tongue in cheek moan. Where’s the caviar and red carpet? It ends with Nick Clegg recording a heartfelt tribute to LBC’s 40 years of broadcasting. And in the process Nick asks the broadcaster for a forty year contract.

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Posted in News and YouTube | Tagged | 1 Comment

Has Eric Pickles destroyed the government’s role in communities?

By Andy Boddington | Fri 11th October 2013 - 12:03 pm

Pickles Hot AirEric is clearly bored out of his mind. He’s been raging around about parking, yellow lines, even about bin collections in Wales – but then he likes to bash the Welsh. In my mind, he is truly the minister of hot air and no substance.

In recent months he has taken meddling in applications for really rather small gypsy and traveller sites. Now he has somewhat imperiously declared that he will call in planning appeals for small renewable energy projects for his own decision (£). When he first came to office, Pickles said he would only use this right occasionally. Now, it seems, such call ins are becoming his hobby.

I can only guess Pickles is doing this because he is bored. He claims he is doing so because he wants:

To give particular scrutiny to planning appeals involving renewable energy developments so that I can consider the extent to which the new practice guidance is meeting the government’s intentions.

Nonsense.

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Stephen Tall

As Channel 4 News goes on titillating ‘fishing trip’, Sarah Teather calls them out

By Stephen Tall | Fri 11th October 2013 - 11:45 am

I wasn’t too impressed by the timing of Sarah Teather’s announcement — on the eve of the party’s conference — that she wouldn’t be standing as a Lib Dem at the next election. But I was impressed by her performance on Channel 4 News last night.

Invited on to talk about immigration in her first television interview since that news broke, Matt Frei decided instead to search for cheap and easy headlines — does she think Nick Clegg’s a sell-out, is she in touch with Lord Rennard? etc — to her evident frustration.

She deals with it well, though as she’s commented today: “I agreed to do Channel 4 last night hoping for a thoughtful space to articulate some of my views on immigration and public discourse. Sadly Channel 4 were doing the Westminster thing and trying to make everything personal and titillating. But that is Westminster I guess. One of the challenges of trying to make arguments from inside the party political space! But I got to make some points anyway.”

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