Andrew Stunell MP

Andrew Stunell writes…Open Government is Better Government

By Andrew Stunell MP | Fri 15th October 2010 - 3:21 pm

Earlier in the year, my colleague Eric Pickles announced that local authorities would be required to publish details of all of their spending above £500. This reform will go hand in hand with a requirement from November for central government departments to publish monthly details of all spending over £25,000. The Department for Communities and Local Government, however, have decided to go one better, and join our local government colleagues and publish everything over £500.

Why is this important, I hear you ask? Won’t it just provide the opposition, and for that matter, organisations like the Tax Payers Alliance with greater …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 17 Comments
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Sarah Harding

Opinion: education is worth more than any price tag

By Sarah Harding | Fri 15th October 2010 - 2:21 pm

Labour failed a generation of young people and students in this country. They left them with debt, with unemployment, and with a deficit worth £25,000 to each person. But in their final months they did do something to help.

Commissioning the Browne Review in Higher Education Funding reopened the debate on education in this country; it allowed those interested to have their say, and more importantly be listened to. It gave the Coalition Government the chance to reform the education system.

For Liberal Youth, our primary aim is to represent our membership, to do our best for them, and as such we …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , , and | 16 Comments
Ben Johnson

Opinion: Cable may do enough to deserve our support

By Ben Johnson | Fri 15th October 2010 - 12:31 pm

The coalition government is busy reading through Lord Browne’s report into higher education funding. He has recommended lifting the cap on fees, currently set at £3290 per year. All Liberal Democrat MPs were elected on the understanding that they opposed any rise in fees. But is the level of fee the critical issue here? And why is a graduate tax more popular?

I joined the Liberal Democrats back in 2001, whilst an undergraduate at the University of Warwick. I joined because of opposition to tuition fees. Back then, the tuition fees I opposed were set …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , , , and | 58 Comments
Mark Pack

General Sir Richard Dannatt’s verdict: more cash, more time please

By Mark Pack | Fri 15th October 2010 - 10:25 am

General Sir Richard Dannatt’s memoir of his time in the British army manages somehow to be both fascinating and banal.

Fascinating because of the detail he provides to back-up his severe criticism of Ministry of Defence civil servants and politicians, Labour ones in particular but Gordon Brown above all, for failing to fund the army sufficiently for the jobs they demanded of it. Banal because, despite his long experience of counter-insurgency and peace-keeping operations starting with Northern Ireland in the 1970s, his repeated message through the book is one of ‘give the army more money, give the army more time’.

…

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Posted in Books | Tagged and | 8 Comments
Stephen Tall

Tuition fees survey: please complete by 6pm today

By Stephen Tall | Fri 15th October 2010 - 10:07 am

Lib Dem Voice has been polling party members signed up to our discussion forum on the very live issue of the Lib Dems’ response to the Browne Report. Individual links to all signed-up party members have been emailed to the 1,200+ members of the Forum. So far, over 500 responses have been received.

If you have not received your email please do contact Ryan Cullen at [email protected] — and if you have yet to join the forums and wish to take part you can sign up here. The survey will remain live until 6pm today, so if you …

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Posted in LDV Members poll | 5 Comments
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Mark Pack

Pension tax relief for most well off to be cut

By Mark Pack | Fri 15th October 2010 - 9:25 am

News from the Treasury:

The annual allowance for tax-privileged pension saving will be reduced from £255,000 to £50,000, and the lifetime allowance will be reduced from £1.8 million to £1.5 million. This will replace the complex proposal legislated for by the last Government in the Finance Act 2010.

“Tax-privileged” is a tax break to you and me by the way. The governments estimates that in a normal full year these changes will bring in an extra £4 billion and affect around 100,000, four out of five of whom have incomes of over £100,000.

Reducing tax breaks for the most well off has long …

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Iain Roberts

Administrative note: check before submitting a tuition fees article

By Iain Roberts | Fri 15th October 2010 - 8:09 am

We’ve received more articles for publication on the topic of tuition fees than on any other single topic for a long time. Those not already published will be coming over the next few days.

Due to this high volume, we can’t commit to publish all new articles submitted on the subject.

If you’re thinking of writing an article for Lib Dem Voice on tuition fees, please drop us an email first ([email protected]) with an brief outline to avoid disappointment.

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Mark Pack

Clegg secures £7 billion extra to fund education for the most disadvantaged – from pre-school through to university

By Mark Pack | Fri 15th October 2010 - 6:25 am

Just as plays have a classic three-act structure, so too do tricky political decisions: first you rule out a potentially popular alternative, then you put out the bad news and finally you sweeten the pill as you try to avert people’s worst fears.

Last weekend saw act one on the tuition fees message, with Vince Cable taking to email to rule out a graduate tax – and trying to pre-empt Labour support for it by emphasising that party’s own previous opposition to the idea. (Given the subsequent news of now Shadow Chancellor Alan Johnson’s continued opposition to a …

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Caron Lindsay

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodnight

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 14th October 2010 - 10:38 pm

So, 13 hours after it began, my day as guest editor comes to an end. I’ve loved it but I am so, so tired. I think it’s going to take me a week to recover.

I’ve always admired the Voice Team but am now even more convinced than ever that whenever you see Alex Foster, Sara Bedford, Helen Duffett, Mark Pack, Stephen Tall and Iain Roberts, not forgetting Ryan Cullen for his technical wizardry, you should offer them food, alcohol, cuddles or all three. They do this every day. Blimey!

I want to say a huge thank you to lots of lovely …

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Peter Barrett

Opinion: How we transformed council housing in Perth and Kinross

By Peter Barrett | Thu 14th October 2010 - 10:10 pm

Cllr Peter Barrett is Perth and Kinross Council’s Housing and Health Convenor. He was once described in the local newspaper as the “Saviour of Tay Street” after defeating a previous administration’s car parking plans. Here he describes how he has transformed the housing service for the better. I’ve always thought that housing is one of the most important issues to sort. In fact, I’d say that there’s little point in the Pupil Premium if the kids it’s there to support don’t have warm, dry, comfortable homes to live in and enough food to eat. It’s hard to learn if you’re …

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Posted in Op-eds and Scotland | Tagged , and | 1 Comment
Caron Lindsay

Helping children with allergies and Nigeria with Climate Change – all in a year’s work! Interview with Jo Swinson MP, part 3

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 14th October 2010 - 9:35 pm

Welcome to the third and final part of my interview with Jo Swinson MP. I hope you don’t mind the fact that it’s so long. I just sometimes think that blog interviews are quite short and sometimes it’s nice to have a more in depth chat. I’ve written it pretty much exactly as she said it so it’s real conversation. Think of this as the Hello multi page spread without the photographs. The plain text is my bit and the italics are her’s.

Not that I’m stalking Jo or anything, but I do have a They Work for You alert for …

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Caron Lindsay

Sport, body confidence and gender stereotyping – Interview with Jo Swinson MP, part 2

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 14th October 2010 - 9:14 pm

As mum of an 11 year old daughter, I’m really worried about the pressures on her to look a certain way, so Jo’s and Lynne Featherstone’s Campaign for Body Confidence is very close to my heart.  I asked Jo – what’s happening with it?

Jo: It’s really exciting about this. Lynne and I had always planned to continue it after the election but we hadn’t reckoned on her being Minister for Equalities which is a great boost. We’ve had a steering group meeting and we’ve got Mumsnet, BEAT, the eating disorders charity, Girl Guiding UK, the YMCA who do all sorts …

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Caron Lindsay

Door knocking, Deputy Leader and Honourable Friends – Interview with Jo Swinson MP

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 14th October 2010 - 8:18 pm

This afternoon, I had a chat with Jo Swinson, MP for East Dunbartonshire, new Deputy Leader of the Scottish Party. Now that I’m going all high tech, I actually recorded it. Or, at least, my 11 year old daughter set up the voice recorder on the laptop and showed me how to work it. This is a great way to interview someone because you can have a proper chat and don’t have to worry about taking notes. I’d asked Jo for a five minute chat and we actually talked for 21 minutes, covering everything from the vibe on the doorsteps …

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George Lyon MEP

George Lyon: Our high hopes for the Scottish Parliament elections

By George Lyon MEP | Thu 14th October 2010 - 5:55 pm

George Lyon MEP is Chair of the Scottish Liberal Democrats’ Election Group. He was elected in 2009 and details of his campaigns on subjects such as fair deal for rural drivers,  disabilities, food labelling and can be found on his website www.georgelyon.org.uk. Here he writes about the Party’s prospects and priorities in next year’s election.

What a year it has been for Liberal Democrats.

This time last year, I don’t think anyone in their heart of hearts believed that Liberals would form part of the government for the first time since 1945.

But this time last year we did have the right …

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Posted in Op-eds and Scotland | Tagged | 3 Comments
Katy Gordon

Opinion: We should be ambitious in our campaigning

By Katy Gordon | Thu 14th October 2010 - 4:55 pm

Katy Gordon fought Glasgow North in the General Election in May and is now the top candidate  on the Glasgow Regional list for the Holyrood  elections in May. In this inspiring article, she shows how her team’s “yes we can” attitude paid dividends, increasing membership by 150%.

When I started campaigning in June 2007 as PPC for the target seat of Glasgow North, I had very little idea of how to go about it.  All I knew was I was fed up with Labour taking the people of Glasgow for granted, that the Lib Dems had real potential to grow in …

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Posted in Op-eds and Scotland | Tagged , , and | 16 Comments
Stephen Glenn

Opinion: The day the Northern Irish came to Scottish Conference

By Stephen Glenn | Thu 14th October 2010 - 4:25 pm

For many years now I have attended Scottish Liberal Democrat conference as a Northern Irish person. I’m not alone as there are many familiar accents scattered across the Scottish parties of other Northern Irish born members.

However, last weekend was the first time I attended as a Northern Irish local party member, but again I was not alone. I’d travelled over with the local party chair Michael Carchrie Campbell and one of our youth members Stephen McFarland had travelled down with the rest of the Aberdeen University crew.

It was a good conference for us all to get to, even though Michael …

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Caron Lindsay

A snapshot of a first class debate – a Scottish persepective on higher education

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 14th October 2010 - 3:24 pm

This week has seen Vince Cable and Nick Clegg adopt a position on tuition fees which is at odds with long held and much loved Party Policy. It remains to be seen how many of our MPs will go along with any recommendations to increase tuition fees.  Already, MPs like Greg Mulholland, Julian Huppert, Tim Farron, Ming Campbell and Charles Kennedy have already stated that they will honour the pledge they signed during the Election campaign to oppose any increase.

In Scotland last weekend the positions were almost reversed, with the Holyrood Front Bench anxious to support our policy of free …

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Posted in Op-eds and Scotland | Tagged , , and | 7 Comments
Caron Lindsay

The speaker who stole the show at Scottish conference

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 14th October 2010 - 2:25 pm

The first time I walked into the hall at Scottish Conference on Saturday, I saw an unfamiliar face making a passionate, articulate heartfelt speech about how your brains and not your background should be reason you get on in education.

An astonished looking friend whispered to me “she’s only 13.” Actually, she’s 14, but she got the first standing ovation of the day and a name check in Tavish Scott’s leader’s speech later.

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Posted in Scotland | Tagged and | 2 Comments
Jenny Dawe

Opinion: Delivering a bright new future for Edinburgh

By Jenny Dawe | Thu 14th October 2010 - 12:55 pm

“I’m afraid to tell you there’s no money left”, wrote the outgoing Labour Chief Secretary to the Treasury in May this year.

Reel back three years to the May 2007 Scottish local elections.  The Liberal Democrats had become the largest party in the City of Edinburgh Council after 23 years of Labour control.  A new Lib Dem led coalition with the SNP was beginning to look eagerly at how to change the city. We didn’t get a note.  Instead, we got a stark warning from the Director of Finance that reserves were perilously low and the Council was heading for a …

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Posted in Local government, Op-eds and Scotland | Tagged and | 8 Comments
Tim Farron MP

Tim Farron: why you should back me for Party President

By Tim Farron MP | Thu 14th October 2010 - 11:55 am

Party President candidate Tim Farron was asked what his election would do for Scotland:

Much has changed in politics in the last few months, but the political process didn’t stop with the formation of the Westminster Government.  In Scotland, it’s time to get those shoes re-soled and dig out that delivery bag and those clip boards – we’ve just a few months until elections to Holyrood and the fairer votes referendum, and then just one year until Scotland-wide council elections.

It will be my job, if elected your party president, to inspire members and activists to go out and fight the coming …

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Posted in Party Presidency | Tagged | 10 Comments
Susan Kramer

Susan Kramer: why you should back me for Party President

By Susan Kramer | Thu 14th October 2010 - 11:46 am

Party President candidate Susan Kramer was asked what her election would do for Scotland:

Nick Clegg and others have argued effectively that the benefits of coalition will be evident in time for the General Election in 2015.  But Scotland has elections in seven months. We have to move rapidly to the front foot to argue that the coalition is putting key Liberal Democrat policies in place and to do that we need the ammunition.

Communication is absolutely key.  This is why I will criss-cross the country not just to join local campaigns but to listen and make sure that grassroots voices are …

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Posted in Party Presidency | Tagged | 4 Comments
Callum Leslie

Opinion: We are a party founded on the principle of free education

By Callum Leslie | Thu 14th October 2010 - 10:55 am

Liberal Youth Scotland has made a huge impact in the last few years. They have fought for equalities, demonstrated against the homophobic Westboro Baptist Church when they threatened to come to Edinburgh, produced many excellent motions to our Conference where their Quiz/Debate evenings have become the place to be. Their VP-Communications tells us what LYS has been up to and how it feels about the Browne Report.

Liberal Youth Scotland is one of the fastest growing movements in the Liberal Democrats today. Since April, our membership has gone up by over 60%. Over the past two years, we have succeeded in …

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Posted in Op-eds and Scotland | Tagged , , , , and | 8 Comments
Paul Freeman

Opinion: A first timer’s guide to Scottish Lib Dem Conference 2010

By Paul Freeman | Thu 14th October 2010 - 9:55 am

Saturday’s Scottish Liberal Democrat Conference was the first conference I’d been to, and aside from a local hustings at the general election, the very first political event I’d ever been to. I was very much a newbie and a little bit nervous and uncertain about what to expect from the day. I even had to ask what it was best to wear, although that was really to stop my wife insisting I go in a suit. I wouldn’t have looked out of place in a suit, but if I’d turned up in a pair of green wellies I wouldn’t have been the only one …

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Posted in Op-eds and Scotland | Tagged , and | Leave a comment
Caron Lindsay

Presidential prospects, passionate debate and poll confidence – a day of inspiration, optimism and hope

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 14th October 2010 - 8:55 am

Mark Valladares, who was the first guest editor to be let loose on this hallowed site, was sober at the time he agreed to it. I can’t say the same, but if Dr Pack will insist on asking for volunteers very late on a Friday night, then he probably deserves everything he gets.

When Mark offered me a day this week, its proximity to our first Scottish Conference was too opportune to turn down.

Normally Autumn Scottish Conference is an earnest but modest gathering. This year’s was keenly anticipated, though. How would we adjust to being part of a Westminster Government with …

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Stephen Tall

Lib Dems and tuition fees: members’ survey now live

By Stephen Tall | Thu 14th October 2010 - 12:01 am

Lib Dem Voice is polling party members signed up to our members’ forum on the very live issue of the Lib Dems’ response to the Browne Report. Individual links to all signed-up party members should by now have been emailed to the 1,200+ members of the Forum. At the time of typing, almost 200 responses have so far been received.

If you have not received your email please do contact Ryan Cullen at [email protected] and if you have yet to join the forums and wish to take part you can sign up here. The survey will remain live until …

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Helen Duffett

Federal Policy Committee confirms party’s tuition fee pledge

By Helen Duffett | Wed 13th October 2010 - 11:42 pm

From the Liberal Democrats website:

Tonight, Wednesday October 13, the Federal Policy Committee of the Liberal Democrats held their regular meeting.

During the meeting they held a special session to discuss the latest announcements following the Browne Review.

In a statement following the meeting, the committee spokesperson said: “FPC confirms the Liberal Democrat party policy remains to phase out tuition fees.

“We are now in a coalition government and we will continue during the period of discussion and consultation to work with our coalition partners towards achieving a policy that meets our key concerns and is progressive.”

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Paul Walter

PMQs: Ed Miliband finally grows out of Pampers

By Paul Walter | Wed 13th October 2010 - 11:37 pm

Ed Miliband made a reasonably good start at Prime Minister’s questions today. However, ultimately he failed to score a substantive point against David Cameron. Indeed, Ed Miliband painted himself into a corner. He is now basically defending the retention of child benefit for the top 15% earners in the country. Since Osborne’s breakfast announcement of the child benefit changes, up until now, Labour have avoided this stance.

Miliband started his questioning today focusing on the unfairness for families with one earner over £43K losing child benefit against families with two earners of £40K keeping their child benefit. However, he lost this …

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Mark Pack

Caron Lindsay to guest edit Liberal Democrat Voice tomorrow

By Mark Pack | Wed 13th October 2010 - 6:25 pm

Tomorrow we’ve got a new guest editor running the site for a day, Scottish Lib Dem blogger Caron Lindsay. She’s the third in our series of guest editors, following Mark Valladares and Linda Jack.

I’m really looking forward to reading the posts Caron’s already talked about having ready to publish. Do come back tomorrow and see how Caron adds a different perspective and touch from the usual on here.

We have a couple more guest slots lined up later this year already but if anyone else would like to be a guest editor for the day, please drop an …

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The Voice

Nick Clegg writes to Lib Dem MPs over tuition fees

By The Voice | Wed 13th October 2010 - 5:37 pm

Earlier today, Nick Clegg sent the following letter to all Liberal Democrat MPs:

Like you, I am painfully aware of the pledge we all made to voters on tuition fees ahead of the General Election. Departing from that pledge will be one of the most difficult decisions of my political career. It means doing something that no one likes to do in politics – acknowledging that the assumptions we made at election time simply don’t work out in practice. With the benefit of hindsight, I signed a pledge at a time when we could not have anticipated the full scale of …

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Richard Davis

Opinion: Higher Education should be like the NHS, free at the point of use

By Richard Davis | Wed 13th October 2010 - 4:53 pm

Higher Education should be freely available to all, however in its current state it is not. Only those who are academically able can enter the current system of HE. We need more technical colleges and alternative further education institutions.

Tony Blair aimed to get 50% of people into university, by the end of Labour’s term they had achieved 45%, Lord Browne wants to go another 10% further. These are admirable aims. Admirable, but in my opinion wrong. We should aim to have much more of the population complete some type of higher education, but it should not necessarily …

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