Liberal Democrat Voice

The banking system was rotten to the core – Clegg

By Nick T | Wed 4th July 2012 - 5:56 pm

The deputy prime minister is interviewed in tonight’s Evening Standard, where he speaks about, among other things, his attitude towards the British banking system. Here’s an excerpt:

“There is no doubt in my mind that what we saw, what peaked in 2008, was rotten to the core,” he says. “We cannot afford as a society, as a country, to have a banking system that is like a cuckoo in the nest, which pushes everything else out and which causes huge costs for millions of British taxpayers.

“Yet again the lid has been lifted on a culture which appeared to be permissive of

…

Posted in LibLink | Tagged banking and nick clegg | 10 Comments

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Michael Moore MP’s Westminster notes

By Michael Moore | Wed 4th July 2012 - 4:54 pm

Every week, Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland writes a column for newspapers in his Borders constituency. Here’s this week’s edition.

Armed forces day

Armed Forces Day last Saturday was a chance for the country to express its gratitude for the courage and bravery of serving and former service personnel, as well as the immense contribution made by their families. In my constituency we have a strong connection with our armed forces so I was pleased to be able to take part in various celebrations to mark the day.

As UK citizens, we have a duty of care towards the men and

…

Posted in News | Tagged fuel duty, lords reform and Westminster Notes | 2 Comments

European Parliament overwhelmingly rejects ACTA

By Mark Valladares | Wed 4th July 2012 - 3:22 pm

The culmination of weeks of campaigning and lobbying against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) came this morning, as the European Parliament voted 478 to 39 to reject it, despite the fact that twenty-two member states, including the United Kingdom, had already signed it. As a result, the Agreement is now likely to become irrelevant without the support of European Union nations.

The Agreement had already been rejected by five Committees of the European Parliament, and despite attempts by Conservative MEPs to defer the vote, as urged by UNI MEI, a “global union for the Media, Entertainment and Art Industries”, …

Posted in Europe / International and News | Tagged ACTA, ALDE and european parliament | 9 Comments

Local liberal heroes: Anood Al-Samerai

By Mark Pack | Wed 4th July 2012 - 2:20 pm

A while back, I penned a series of posts profiling forgotten liberal heroes (to which a couple of other people also kindly contributed), looking at some of those who achieved great things for liberalism in their time but have been unjustly forgotten – such as Margaret Wintringham, the very first female Liberal MP.

There is also another group of people who I think are often unjustly obscure – those local campaigners who are often at the heart of their local community and local party, delivering liberalism and helping others, but as their stage is a local one they are often unacknowledged …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged anood al-samerai, local liberal heroes and southwark liberal democrats | 2 Comments

Opinion: What is keeping councils awake at night?

By Chris White | Wed 4th July 2012 - 12:27 pm

The Local Government Conference met in conference in Birmingham last week.

I am slightly (only very slightly) embarrassed to confess that I have attended every conference since the LGA was created in 1997. In that first year the conference (in Manchester) ran from Tuesday until Friday. There was a gala night on the set of Coronation Street (this is apparently a television soap opera for those of you too busy each evening with your politics).

John Prescott and Gordon Brown turned up to praise the new body’s birth and the role of local government (delicious irony in hindsight), John Bird and John …

Posted in Local government and Op-eds | Tagged #lgaconf, chris white, eric pickles, lga, Local government and michael gove | 5 Comments

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Barclays and the Bank of England: BAD rate-rigging and GOOD rate-rigging

By Stephen Tall | Wed 4th July 2012 - 11:15 am

The Barclays rate-rigging scandal has conflated a number of issues — Bob Diamond’s bonus, ‘casino’ banking, failed regulators — making it hard to get behind the media’s shouty headlines to understand the issues which should really concern us. Here’s my brief show-your-working attempt, starting with what Barclays.

What Barclays did right: ‘fess up

LIBOR (London Inter Bank Offered Rate) is the rate at which banks in London lend money to each other for the short-term. It’s used as a proxy measure of market confidence in individual banks, as well as a benchmark for setting mortgage interest rates.

Barclays has admitted filing misleading …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged bank of england, banking, barclays, bob diamond, economy, eddie george, featured, libor, mervyn king, national debt, paul tucker and personal debt | 15 Comments

How leaflets used to look: a Tory attack on Labour’s economic policies, 1931

By Mark Pack | Wed 4th July 2012 - 10:25 am

Today’s leaflet in my series on old election leaflets is a centrally produced Conservative Party leaflet from October 1931. Ramsay MacDonald had led a Labour administration under August 1931 when it split over a Budget and economic crisis. MacDonald earned his place in Labour’s hall of infamy by then forming a National Government with Conservatives and Liberals. Only two Labour colleagues joined MacDonald in this government, so the attacks in this leaflet on “Arthur Henderson and other Socialist ex-Ministers” are, nominally at least, directed at Labour rather than MacDonald and co. in the coalition.

Swap references such as the Empire Marketing Board for current ones and the basic arguments being made in the leaflet are remarkably similar to contemporary politics:

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged Arthur Henderson, featured, history, how leaflets used to look and Ramsay MacDonald | 6 Comments

Opinion: Internships – a foot in the door, with a new glass ceiling

By Alex Smethurst | Tue 3rd July 2012 - 5:10 pm

Nick Clegg has admitted that his previous pledge to pay interns working for the Party will be broken. And yet, one of the defining ambitions of the Liberal Democrats, found in the Foreword to The Coalition Agreement, is to increase social mobility. Having experience from six unpaid internships, social mobility is one area that I highlight for supporting the Party. Yet it’s in danger of becoming part of Newspeak: for without money to back up the rhetoric, our Party is in danger of yet again offering an empty promise.

Social mobility and paid internships are connected. But I’m concerned …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged internships | 25 Comments

Steve Webb challenges pension industry to provide ‘money-safe’ pension scheme

By Mary Reid | Tue 3rd July 2012 - 4:08 pm

Steve Webb, the pensions minister, is addressing pension executives today and will be challenging them to provide a money-back guarantee to everyone who will be saving for their pensions through a new workplace defined contributions plan. This kind of scheme would ensure that people get back, as a minimum, the value of the contributions they have paid in.

This is one of several proposals which will be consulted on later in the year. Other ideas include collective risk sharing, which allows pension companies to pool their accounts and share the investment …

Posted in News | Tagged pension and steve webb | 7 Comments

Nick Clegg talking to young people

By NewsHound | Tue 3rd July 2012 - 1:54 pm

Yesterday Nick Clegg spoke on CBBC’s Newsround about the banking crisis – and he didn’t pull his punches.

Posted in News | Tagged nick clegg and schools | 2 Comments

Julian Huppert MP writes… Draft Communications Data Bill: send me your evidence

By Julian Huppert | Tue 3rd July 2012 - 12:22 pm

Today is the first meeting of the Joint Committee on the Draft Communications Data Bill. Over the next few months, we’ll be taking evidence from key witnesses, and making recommendations to the Government about how the Bill should change.

As I’m sure you all know, the Bill as it stands is simply unacceptable. It’s vital, therefore, that we’re asking the right questions and posing the right, technical solutions from the off.

The Committee will run a formal, public call for evidence starting very shortly. The more evidence we get, the better, so my first request is that every single Member with an …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged draft communications data bill and paul strasburger | 2 Comments

You don’t have to be a conference rep to go to conference

By Mark Pack | Tue 3rd July 2012 - 10:50 am

Neither a voting conference rep nor a suited lobbyist need you be to go to Liberal Democrat Party conference, yet amongst party members there is often an implicit assumption that federal party is something for other people rather than something for them.

This is particularly unfortunate when, as with this autumn, the conference venue (Brighton) is within easy travel distance of a large portion of the party’s membership. People can register to go to conference for just one day for £35 (£17 claimants) and get to sample the debates, the fringe and the atmosphere – and if you are within commuting distance all that without having to pay Brighton accommodation prices.

Posted in Conference | 7 Comments

Opinion: UK-US Extradition Treaty Review – now is the time for change

By Issan Ghazni | Tue 3rd July 2012 - 9:56 am

Now that it is holding the reins of power and is in a position to make necessary changes to a universally acknowledged unfair extradition treaty with the US, why is the Coalition government stalling? This is baffling, particularly as both our own party and the Conservatives campaigned strongly against the ‘lopsided’ nature of the arrangement when in opposition.

In fact, every senior member of the current cabinet voted in 2006 in support of a ‘Forum Bar’ amendment, giving our judges greater power to decide on the basis of each individual case, whether or not it is appropriate to order extradition. It …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged extradition | 4 Comments

++ Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond quits

By The Voice | Tue 3rd July 2012 - 7:53 am

Yesterday Nick Clegg called for more resignations at Barclays in the wake of the rate-rigging scandal. Well, he’s just got his wish in part fulfilled, with the news that chief executive Bob Diamond is falling on his sword (or was he pushed?). Here’s how the BBC reports it:

Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond has resigned with immediate effect.

The move follows the resignation of chairman Marcus Agius and comes less than a week after the bank was fined a record amount for trying to manipulate inter-bank lending rates.

Mr Diamond said he was stepping down because the external pressure on Barclays

…

Posted in News | Tagged banking, barclays, bob diamond and marcus agius | 28 Comments

Tim Farron MP to restand for Party President

By The Voice | Mon 2nd July 2012 - 8:30 pm

Tim Farron MP announced at tonight’s Federal Executive meeting that he is to seek re-election as Liberal Democrat Party President this autumn:

Being our party’s President is a wonderful honour for me. Together our party is achieving so much – taking two million people out of tax, driving the pupil premium to give a better start to our most disadvantaged children and helping to create the green economy of tomorrow.

Posted in Party policy and internal matters | Tagged federal executive and tim farron | 25 Comments

Paddy Ashdown meets his younger self

By Helen Duffett | Mon 2nd July 2012 - 4:23 pm

Broadcast on Saturday, a Radio 4 interview with Lord Ashdown, featuring clips from the BBC archive from throughout his career:

From rookie MP to Liberal Democrats leader, from the Royal Marines to high office in Bosnia, Paddy Ashdown relives his life from the archives in a frank and sometimes emotional conversation with John Wilson.

From his early days in the army to his leadership of the Liberal

Posted in LibLink | Tagged featured and paddy ashdown | 2 Comments

Nick Robinson: Chancellor to announce banking inquiry this afternoon

By NewsHound | Mon 2nd July 2012 - 3:10 pm

From the BBC’s Nick Robinson:

The government is to set up a wider inquiry into banking to report by the end of the year.

It will not be a full Leveson-style public inquiry. However, it will be separate from, and much wider than, the inquiry already announced into the abuses of LIBOR – inter-bank lending rate – at Barclays and other banks.

Posted in News | Tagged banking | 6 Comments

Nick Clegg gives two hoots

By Helen Duffett | Mon 2nd July 2012 - 2:49 pm

What made Nick Clegg hoot on Friday in Oxford?

Answer: the Pupil Premium – £2.5 billion of extra money to help school pupils from the most disadvantaged backgrounds.

On the latest visit in his regional summmer tour, Nick Clegg visited a primary school in Oxford to read to children and publicise the Pupil Premium.

From ITV Meridian Tonight:

Nick Clegg hooted like an owl today and told a group of children he wished he’d turned up in his pyjamas. All in a day’s work for

…

Posted in News | Tagged nick clegg and pupil premium | 2 Comments

Nick Clegg wants to see more resignations at Barclays

By NewsHound | Mon 2nd July 2012 - 1:49 pm

The Press Association reports:

Nick Clegg has ramped up the pressure on Bob Diamond by indicating he believed the Barclays chief executive should follow the lead of the bank’s chairman, Marcus Agius.
The Deputy Prime Minister said he had “no problem with more inquires” into what went wrong with the industry after Labour called for a Leveson-style investigation.

Posted in News | Tagged banking | 8 Comments

Opinion: China and Hong Kong – a missed opportunity

By Andrew Wigley | Mon 2nd July 2012 - 1:23 pm

Last weekend marked the 15th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong. On a torrentially wet evening on 30 June 1997, the UK relinquished control of a territory which was home to almost seven million people and one of Asia’s leading commercial centres.

It also marked the end of the most colossal missed opportunity to further Chinese democracy.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged foreign policy | 2 Comments

Opinion: The value of reading

By Yusuf Osman | Mon 2nd July 2012 - 11:54 am

Continuing on from my last post on mobility, I’m taking another look at the replacement for the Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payments (PIP).

The second area where the current proposals on PIP disadvantage blind people is in that of communication. This is one of the activities under the broad heading of ‘daily living’.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged disabilities | 1 Comment

New economic think-tank for Wales

By NewsHound | Mon 2nd July 2012 - 10:53 am

Last Thursday saw the launch of a centre-right think tank in Wales called Gorwel (Horizon) chaired by the Conservative Assembly Member, David Melding, and including Lib Dems, such as Russell Deacon, Plaid Cymru members and non-party people.

It’s an attempt to challenge the status quo in Wales try and improve Wales economically.

Posted in News and Wales | Tagged Wales | 2 Comments

LibLink: Vince Cable – the current scandals will lead to a better system of banking

By The Voice | Mon 2nd July 2012 - 9:23 am

Over on the Guardian’s Comment is Free, Vince Cable gives his commentary on the banking crisis:

Last week’s banking scandals demolished a convenient myth: that the banking crash was all the fault of a few colourful rogues like Fred the Shred of RBS and Adam Applegarth of Northern Rock. We have been reminded, instead, that the rot was far more widespread.

Posted in LibLink | Tagged bank | 5 Comments

Top of the Blogs: The Lib Dem Golden Dozen #280

By The Voice | Sun 1st July 2012 - 10:00 pm

Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 280th 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 (24-30 June, 2012), 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:

Posted in Best of the blogs | Leave a comment

++ Barclays chairman set to resign

By NewsHound | Sun 1st July 2012 - 7:43 pm

Breaking News from the BBC

Marcus Agius is to resign as the chairman of Barclays, the BBC has learned.

There will be an announcement on Monday morning, BBC business editor Robert Peston says.

It comes after Barclays was fined £290m ($450m) for attempting to manipulate the Libor inter-bank lending rate.

Posted in News | Tagged banking | 5 Comments

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

By Stephen Tall | Sun 1st July 2012 - 4:20 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 560 party members responded, and we’re publishing the full results.

Today we focus on the performances of the leading lights of the Liberal Democrats — those of our MPs in the cabinet, those occupying ministerial positions, and other leading Lib Dems.

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 three key lists for those who want to cut to the chase… (with comparison to March 2012 ratings in brackets)

Top 5 Lib Dem performers in the Government:

Posted in LDV Members poll | 37 Comments

What Lib Dem members think of the Coalition & its record

By Stephen Tall | Sun 1st July 2012 - 11:20 am

80% of Lib Dem members support the Coalition

Do you support or oppose the Lib Dems being in the Coalition Government with the Conservatives? (Comparison with March 2012’s figures)

Support for the Coalition remains high, at 80%, in spite of all the difficulties it’s endured in the past months, …

Posted in LDV Members poll | 15 Comments

The state of Britain: cause for some optimistic pessimism

By Stephen Tall | Sun 1st July 2012 - 9:10 am

David Rennie has been the pen behind the pseudonymous Bagehot column, which appears weekly in The Economist, since 2010. During that time he has been deservedly recognised as the most acute commentator, bar none, writing on British politics. Not that I’ve always agreed with him, not least his indulgence of hoary old cliches with which to whack the Lib Dems.

He has now transferred to the US to personate another Economist pseudonym, Lexington. However, his final missive is a must-read ‘state of the nation’ take on the Britain …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged bagehot, david rennie, economist and featured | 9 Comments

Revealed: What Lib Dem members think of Ed Miliband and David Cameron

By Stephen Tall | Sat 30th June 2012 - 2:25 pm

Miliband surges to -43%, best rating yet among Lib Dems

LDV asked: Do you think Ed Miliband is doing well or badly as leader of the Labour party?
(Results in March in brackets)

Total well = 26% (7%)

Total badly =

…

Posted in LDV Members poll | Tagged david cameron and ed miliband | 11 Comments

LibLink: Nick Clegg – Beware the risks and rewards of a banking union

By NewsHound | Sat 30th June 2012 - 11:50 am

Writing in the Financial Times this week, Nick Clegg warned:

In the debate on banking union we back greater co-operation on various aspects of an integrated financial system: common rules on the restructuring of failed banks, shared principles on how to protect depositors, high minimum standards for the capital EU banks should hold and a strong European Banking Authority.

Posted in Europe / International and LibLink | Tagged banking, euro, european union and nick clegg | 4 Comments

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