Stephen Tall

Welfare reform: what should the Lib Dems do?

By Stephen Tall | Mon 8th April 2013 - 11:00 am

This much I think I know… Cuts to the overall welfare budget are inescapable: it accounts for too large a chunk of of public spending for it to be immune — certainly if the NHS, schools and overseas aid budgets are to be protected at the same time as spending is reduced.

These cuts would be happening whichever party was in power, though doubtless the precise methods would differ. The IFS’s verdict in 2010 on what they termed Labour’s “fiscal drift” was stark: “By the eve of the financial crisis … the UK one of the largest structural …

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Eric Avebury

Eric Avebury writes… Bernie Ecclestone, F1 and Britain’s shameful friendship with Bahrain

By Eric Avebury | Mon 8th April 2013 - 8:45 am

ecclestone bahrainBernie Ecclestone is an appropriate person to be the public face of Formula 1, a ‘sport’ which is fast becoming known as the event of choice for autocrats who wish to launder their international reputation, as evidenced by the appearance of races in Bahrain and Dubai in recent years.

Ecclestone famously praised Thatcher, Hitler and Saddam a few years ago, saying that he preferred strong leaders, that Hitler was a man who was ‘able to get things done’, and yet paradoxically, that politics ‘is not for me’.

Equally bizarre, he …

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The Voice

Top of the Blogs: The Lib Dem Golden Dozen #320

By The Voice | Sun 7th April 2013 - 7:30 pm

Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 320th 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 (31 March – 6 April, 2013), together with a hand-picked quintet, normally courtesy of LibDig, you might otherwise have missed.

Don’t forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox — just click here — ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging.

As ever, let’s start with the most popular post, and work our way down:

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The Voice

Greg Mulholland to propose “complete separation of state marriage and religious weddings”

By The Voice | Sun 7th April 2013 - 4:00 pm

Greg MulhollandLib Dem MP Greg Mulholland was one of seven Lib Dem MPs to abstain from the vote on same-sex marriage in February. He explained his reasons for doing so here:

I do agree unequivocally that all adults must be treated equally in terms of legal recognition of their relationship and the rights that they convey; the question is how best to deliver that at the same time as protecting freedom of conscience. These are two important rights and must both be delivered simultaneously. The problem is that as currently drafted, the Marriage Bill delivers neither of these. It is a confused and flawed piece of legislation that does not actually deliver equality as it proposes different definitions of marriage for heterosexual and same sex couples; nor does it sufficiently protect freedom of conscience for people with religious and other differing views of marriage. This is why I was unable to support the Bill at second reading, however nor did I want to vote against it or what would be misinterpreted as my being anti equal legal rights, which I am very clearly not.

Greg now has a proposal, though it’s far-reaching legislative changes may not be well-received at Westminster:

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Stephen Tall

Jon Cruddas: in favour of a 45 top-rate of tax before he was against it

By Stephen Tall | Sun 7th April 2013 - 2:00 pm

Sarah Teather isn’t the only MP attacking George Osborne today. Ed Miliband’s policy chief Jon Cruddas has strong words for the Chancellor in the Sunday People, accusing him of “cruelty” and of “giving a tax cut to millionaires” by dropping the top-rate of tax from 50% to 45% for those earning more than £150,000.

So what, you might ask, was Jon Cruddas arguing for when Labour was in power? A top-rate tax level of 45% levied on those earning more than £175,000, as it happens:

cruddas 45p tax

He’s welcome …

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The Voice

LibLink: Sarah Teather – Grubby Osborne’s crude opportunism is capitalising on fear

By The Voice | Sun 7th April 2013 - 12:35 pm

teather_cleggFormer Lib Dem children’s minister Sarah Teather unleashes something of a broadside not just against the Coalition, but against all three political parties for their policies on the poorest in society, both benefit claimants and also immigrants and asylum-seekers:

There is nothing like insecurity to bring out the temptation to scapegoat. Instead of offering a bit of statesmanlike leadership, Conservative ministers have engaged repeatedly in crude opportunism, capitalising on fear. And so the battle is drawn: good against evil. Those without benefits against those who claim. Strivers against shirkers. The deserving against

…

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Posted in LibLink | Tagged | 11 Comments
NewsHound

LibLink: Danny Alexander – The rich are paying more in tax under the Coalition, than under Labour

By NewsHound | Sun 7th April 2013 - 11:15 am

Over at the Telegraph, Danny Alexander follows up his piece in last week’s Sun on Sunday defending the Coalition’s benefits and tax changes — Bedroom blockers and tax dodgers will pay — but this time in less tabloid terms:

… cleaning up the mess left by Labour involves difficult decisions everyday that impact on people’s lives up and down the country. Few more so than some of the changes to our tax and welfare system that have come in this week. The welfare changes this week are difficult, but right and necessary to ensure that people are always better off

…

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Stephen Tall

Nick Clegg’s Letter from the Leader: “Delivering fairer tax”

By Stephen Tall | Sun 7th April 2013 - 9:55 am

Nick Clegg’s latest letter looks ahead to the local elections in England, with a particular focus on the Lib Dems’ successful delivery of £600 in tax-cuts for the low-paid compared to Labour’s time in power. Here are three quick, clickable ways of promoting this achievement:

  • Sharing the news on Facebook;
  • Watching and sharing this YouTube video;
  • Re-tweeting Nick Clegg’s message:

    • Here’s Nick’s letter…

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    Posted in News | Tagged and | 12 Comments
    Stephen Tall

    New Tory ad campaign tries to claim credit for Lib Dem delivery of tax-cuts for the low-paid

    By Stephen Tall | Sat 6th April 2013 - 5:25 pm

    One Coalition policy, above all, polls strongly with the British public: lifting the income tax threshold to take the low-paid out of income tax altogether and to give a meaningful tax-cut to the lowest-paid.

    lib dem manifesto tax cutAs the Lib Dems have never been shy of reminding people, it was the party’s top priority at the 2010 general election. And it’s being implemented now because the Lib Dems are in government.

    The Tories, it seems, have, a bit belatedly, noticed that cutting the taxes of the low-paid is quite a savvy thing to do. So, the Spectator tells us, they’ve launched their own posters claiming the credit for this Lib Dem initiative.

    Such is politics. It’s worth recalling what the Tory tax pledges were in 2010:

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    Posted in News | Tagged | 8 Comments
    Stephen Tall

    The Philpott case: at last, a reminder of the reality

    By Stephen Tall | Sat 6th April 2013 - 1:45 pm

    justice thirlwall phlpott caseThe debate over the Philpott case has raged all week, but mostly at a tangent to the reality of the case.

    Thanks to Grace Dent’s stellar column in today’s Independent, I’ve finally read through Mrs Justice Thirlwall’s summing up. It’s concise, shrewd, plain spoken, unsparing: no legalese, just clear sense.

    It returns this case to where it belongs: an individual story of one man’s obsessive compulsion to dominate and possess all those around him, in particular ‘his’ women. It’s well worth reading the whole judgment in full.

    However, there are three sections I wanted to highlight…

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    Joe Otten

    Saturday Forum: reason and emotion in politics

    By Joe Otten | Sat 6th April 2013 - 11:18 am

    Compulsory reading for anybody interested in politics should include Drew Westen’s The Political Brain – Review here.

    Westen’s analysis of the Democratic defeats of the Bush years is that the Democrats failed to tap the emotions of the electorate, and relied too much on rational argument. Bill Clinton, it is argued, is the exception that proves the rule, being unusually empathic. The book predates Obama, who seems to have learned some of its lessons.

    Today’s discussion point: How does this translate to Britain? My impression is that there is …

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    Posted in Op-eds | 13 Comments
    Caron Lindsay

    Danny Alexander rejects George Osborne’s comments on the Philpott case

    By Caron Lindsay | Sat 6th April 2013 - 7:51 am

    Danny AlexanderI told you the other night that Sarah Teather had condemned George Osborne’s comments connecting the Philpott case to the welfare system. Some people made comments along the lines that it was only a backbencher, and no Liberal Democrat minister had said such a thing. Well, yesterday, Danny Alexander did. The BBC has the story. Danny said:

    George Osborne is clearly right that there needs to be a full debate about the future of our welfare system but the Philpott case is an individual tragedy. Children have died in

    …

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    Tim Gordon

    Update on Helena Morrissey’s review – deadline extended till 12 April

    By Tim Gordon | Fri 5th April 2013 - 7:17 pm

    Today has been set as the final day for people to submit written evidence to Helena Morrissey’s Independent Review on harassment.  However, because of holidays for many this week the deadline is being extended by a further week, until next Friday April 12th, to ensure that everyone has the chance to make their submissions.

    I would therefore encourage anyone who feels they may have information which may help or be relevant to the independent review, to email today, even if it is just a holding note with detail to follow.

    You can email Helena Morrissey directly at [email protected]. Only Helena has …

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    Mark Valladares

    By-election report – 4 April… so close in Knowsley

    By Mark Valladares | Fri 5th April 2013 - 6:27 pm

    Ballot boxSeven principal authority by-elections yesterday, as I noted this morning, and no wins, unfortunately.

    We start with the three by-elections in the one-party state that is Knowsley (sixty-three councillors, all Labour). In Prescot West ward, Ian Smith and the team pushed Labour very hard, achieving a swing from Labour, but sadly not quite enough to gain the seat;

    • Lynn O’Keefe (Labour) – 441 votes (44%)
    • Ian Smith (Liberal Democrat) – 403 votes (40%)
    • Stephen Whatham (Trade Unions and Socialists) – 86 votes (9%)
    • Robert Avery (Conservative) – 62 votes (6%)
    • Robert Mbabu (Green) – 14 votes

    …

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    Helen Duffett

    The LDV Friday Five: 5 April 2013

    By Helen Duffett | Fri 5th April 2013 - 5:00 pm

    It’s Friday. It’s five o’clock. Here’s a fistful of lists that sum up the LDV week:

    5 most-read stories on LDV this week

    1. Secret Lib Dem-UKIP talks revealed (16 comments) by The Voice
    2. A reply to Dan Hodges: why it’s not surprising some Tories aren’t bothered about winning in 2015 (9 comments) by Stephen Tall
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    Mark Valladares

    LibLink: Guy Verhofstadt, still taking it to UKIP…

    By Mark Valladares | Fri 5th April 2013 - 4:21 pm

    Guy VerhofstadtIn November, we reported on Guy Verhofstadt’s attack on Nigel Farage in the European Parliament. In yesterday’s Independent, the Leader of the Alliance of Liberals & Democrats in the European Parliament, gave his views on European migration policy and its effect on the United Kingdom. In a piece notable for its calmness of tone, he points out some of the flipside of the debate, pointing out the benefits of freedom of movement within the European Union, and nailing some of the misleading claims of UKIP leaders and activists.

    Given …

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    Posted in LibLink and News | Tagged , and | 13 Comments
    NewsHound

    Don’t pay for free voter registration, warns elections watchdog

    By NewsHound | Fri 5th April 2013 - 3:41 pm

    Ballot boxThe Electoral Commission, the UK elections watchdog, is urging people not to use a paid-for service to register to vote.

    The independent elections watchdog has contacted ‘UK Electoral Roll’ after it was alerted to the company offering a £30-a-time ‘assisted service’ to complete customers’ electoral roll registrations.

    The company also uses a £1.53 a minute premium rate number to take customer questions.

    Alex Robertson, Director of Communications, said:

    This service is clearly ripping people off. It is very simple to register to vote and we want to make sure no one

    …

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    Posted in Election law and News | Tagged | Leave a comment

    Opinion: why I’m still a Liberal Democrat…

    By Former Organiser | Fri 5th April 2013 - 3:10 pm

    I’ve been a Liberal Democrat supporter as long as I can remember. My parents were involved with the party, and often shared their political views with my sister and I when we were children. Therefore, I suppose it is no surprise that I actively support the party today.

    However, I have to confess that since the Coalition agreement, and the abandonment of the tuition fees promise, I have occasionally wondered why I continue to support the party. A little doubt was creeping into my mind. I never supported the tuition fee policy, but was a little disappointed that some MPs …

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    Posted in Op-eds | Tagged | 11 Comments
    Antony Hook

    Opinion: do Parliament’s laws really need Royal Assent in 2013?

    By Antony Hook | Fri 5th April 2013 - 1:21 pm

    Queen Elizabeth IIThe country needs to save as much money as it can. Anything we can save will help the government to balance the books.

    A small but wasteful activity is the requirement for Acts of Parliament to receive Royal Assent. Many people may believe that a Bill becomes law when it is passed by both Houses of Parliament. But it is a requirement for every Bill to go before the Queen and receive her approval.

    Royal Assent is usually granted a few weeks after the Bill is passed by Parliament. …

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    Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 38 Comments
    NewsHound

    This week in Europe: 1-4 April

    By NewsHound | Fri 5th April 2013 - 11:48 am

    European Union flags - Some rights reserved by tristam sparksEuropean ‘Financial Transaction Tax’ will hit Londoners

    A research report prepared for the City of London Corporation has estimated the cost of the proposed European Financial Transaction Tax (FTT) on UK government debt at £4 billion, with further costs for company debt.

    Even though the UK is not taking part, bonds issued by our government and companies are traded in EU participating countries and will therefore be subject to the tax. This will raise government spending and the cost of capital and investment.

    MEP …

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    Posted in Europe / International and News | Tagged and | 2 Comments
    Judith Bunting

    Opinion: the importance of the rural bus

    By Judith Bunting | Fri 5th April 2013 - 10:21 am

    I recently visited Ivy in Ashmore Green. A woman in her eighties, Ivy is still bright and lively. When I met her, she had recently given up driving and was still reeling from discovering that her local bus service, the 76, that connects Ashmore Green to the rest of the world, runs once a week.

    Now, all credit to Jacs Minicoaches for running this service, but a bus that runs just once a week is not something around which you can build a life. A thriving community depends on more than just driving-age adults.

    • How are youngsters supposed to get to school

    …

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    Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 4 Comments
    Bill le Breton

    What Japan did while we were sleeping

    By Bill le Breton | Fri 5th April 2013 - 8:51 am

    "2 x inflation in 2 years, 2 x monetary base, 2 x amount bonds purchased" “2 x inflation in 2 years, 2 x monetary base, 2 x amount bonds purchased”The overnight news yesterday from the Bank of Japan spelt out its serious intent to double the monetary base – the type of monetary easing, a l’outrance, that I have been arguing for at LDV, and elsewhere, for a number of years now.

    The announcement followed the declaration back in November by the then leader of Japan’s opposition that when elected he …

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    Posted in News | Tagged , and | 38 Comments
    Mark Valladares

    Welcome to my day… 5 April

    By Mark Valladares | Fri 5th April 2013 - 7:51 am

    Mark Pack graphic on tax pledgeThere is a certain appropriateness that this should be my day, as it is the last day of the tax year for individuals, and for those of you who have to file a Self Assessment tax return, your return for 2012/13 should be available for you to complete soon. Yes, I know, you’ve got until 31 January to do so (but only if you fill it in online), but given how stressful it is when you leave it until the last moment, why not start early?

    Of …

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    Caron Lindsay

    Sarah Teather blasts George Osborne’s “irresponsible” comments on Philpott case

    By Caron Lindsay | Thu 4th April 2013 - 9:53 pm

    George Osborne has said some crass things in his time, but his comments today, as reported by the BBC, that there should be a debate on whether “the state should subsidise lifestyles like that” were awful, giving a whiff of credibility to the demonising headlines in the Daily Mail that my co-editor Stephen Tall wrote about earlier. Does this make Osborne a “trollemicist?”

    Stephen sensibly said:

    The welfare state was no more to blame for their deaths than capitalism would be to blame if they’d done it to claim on insurance. The motive was greed; the result a tragedy.

    I think, though, …

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    Posted in News | Tagged , and | 21 Comments
    Alex Paul Shantz

    Opinion: A commitment to Trident diverts resources from the real threats to the UK

    By Alex Paul Shantz | Thu 4th April 2013 - 4:34 pm

    The ratcheting up of tensions in the last Cold War conflict in recent days has got David Cameron reminiscing about Britain’s own Cold War relic. Writing in the Daily Telegraph this Wednesday, the Prime Minister argues North Korea’s threats of nuclear war demonstrate that “it would be foolish to leave Britain defenceless against a continuing, and growing, nuclear threat.”

    When I first heard this it struck me how out-of-date this view seems. As the world has watched the North Korea issue increasingly apocalyptic threats and the U.S. Government respond almost daily by deploying more military hardware

    …

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    Posted in News | Tagged | 58 Comments
    Caron Lindsay

    LibLink: David Steel…New type of Union needed

    By Caron Lindsay | Thu 4th April 2013 - 2:36 pm

    The Scotsman carries an extract from David Steel’s Presidential Address to the David Hume institute in which he talks about the need for constitutional reform of the whole UK to give real power to its constituent parts. I was particularly struck by this passage where he talks about distribution, not devolution, of power:

    Many of my former constituents would quite comfortably consider themselves a Borderer first and then a Scotsman. And the same incidentally applies for Borderers born south of the Tweed in Northumberland in relation to Englishness. Politicians at their peril dictate identity and culture. People can quite comfortably consider

    …

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    Posted in LibLink | Tagged , , , and | 12 Comments
    Andrew Brown

    Opinion: Fairer Taxes? How higher rate taxpayers will benefit more in 2014

    By Andrew Brown | Thu 4th April 2013 - 11:57 am

    Earlier this week I saw this tweet from Paul Lewis of BBC Radio 4’s Moneybox programme:

    This struck me as odd, so I asked Paul how he calculated the £195 figure (I do not know enough about benefits and Universal Credit to make a judgement on the £39 figure). He quickly answered:

    …

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    Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 13 Comments
    Stephen Tall

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

    By Stephen Tall | Thu 4th April 2013 - 10:50 am

    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 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 …

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    Posted in LDV Members poll | 1 Comment
    Stephen Tall

    The welfare debate and the age of the trollemic

    By Stephen Tall | Thu 4th April 2013 - 9:25 am

    I decided to invent a new word yesterday:

    It’s the welfare debate that’s prompted it, but it could be any other topic on a given week.

    daily mail philpott front pageYesterday saw the Daily Mail publish a typically sensationalist front page blaming the welfare state for the tragedy of six children being killed by their parents. On Monday the Mirror shouted ‘Shameful’, with a cartoon showing Thatcher, Cameron, Osorne and Clegg banging in the final nail of a coffin marked ‘RIP Welfare’.

    Each is exaggerating to make their own point. Both are gross over-statements: trollemics.

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    Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , , , , , , , , , and | 26 Comments
    Caron Lindsay

    I get “spiky” on For A’ That podcast

    By Caron Lindsay | Thu 4th April 2013 - 8:43 am

    On Saturday I took part in the For A’ That podcast in Scotland along with regulars Andrew Tickell and Michael Greenwell and fellow guest Green (and former Liberal Democrat) Douglas McLellan. It’s not all about Scottish stuff. We had quite a long conversation at the beginning about immigration and Nick Clegg’s speech in particular.

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