Kathryn Parminter

Baroness Kate Parminter’s maiden speech

By Kathryn Parminter | Thu 22nd July 2010 - 7:40 pm

In recent weeks, LDV has been bringing its readers copies of our new MPs’ first words in the House of Commons, so that we can read what is being said and respond. You can find all of the speeches in this category with this link. Today’s guest editor Mark Valladares feels that it was only right that the same honour should be offered to new Peers, and today we bring you the words of Baroness Parminter of Godalming.

Baroness Parminter: I add my thanks to the noble Baroness, Lady Verma, for initiating this debate today. As a new girl, …

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Domininc Addington

An Interview with the Whips Office – comfy chairs will be provided…

By Domininc Addington | Thu 22nd July 2010 - 5:45 pm

The word ‘whip’, in parliamentary terms at least, is associated with accusations of the ‘dark arts’. But whips are people too, particularly in the Lords, so your intrepid guest editor retrieved his Parliamentary spouse pass and made an appointment…

Dominic Bryce Hubbard, the 6th Baron Addington, is one of five hereditary Peers sitting on the Liberal Democrat benches. He inherited his title in 1982, aged eighteen, but was only able to take up his seat in the House of Lords on reaching his twenty-first birthday. He has held a series of positions, as Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Culture, Media and Sport, …

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Alex Runswick

Moving to an elected second chamber – a loss of expertise, or just privilege?

By Alex Runswick | Thu 22nd July 2010 - 4:15 pm

August 2011 is the centenary of the Parliament Act, the supposedly stop gap measure to regulate relations between the two houses of parliament until an elected House of Lords could be created. The fact that we are still fighting for a democratic second chamber means it is all too easy to lose sight of the debates about what we want the second chamber to actually do. Unlock Democracy wants a fully elected second chamber capable of scrutinising and revising legislation as well as delaying it where necessary. It should be a deliberative chamber that builds on the …

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Mark Valladares

The House of Lords does social media

By Mark Valladares | Thu 22nd July 2010 - 2:57 pm

Much is made of our MPs and their use of social media. Steve Webb and Facebook, Jo Swinson and Duncan Hames announcing their engagement via Twitter (we only had Facebook in my day…), the increasingly sophisticated websites, all of these serve to connect Parliamentarians to the communities they serve. However, on the red benches, the need to reach out is heightened by the relative lack of coverage for their activities in the mainstream media, and there is increasing use of social media to achieve that.

Perhaps the best known source of commentary comes from Lords of the Blog, a collaborative …

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Bill Bradshaw

Musings from the Front Bench…

By Bill Bradshaw | Thu 22nd July 2010 - 1:20 pm

I have supported the Liberal Party and its successors since the General Election of 1950, although I did not follow a political career. Instead, I was involved in the railway and bus industries before moving into academia at the Universities of Salford and Oxford.

My entry to the House of Lords was a complete surprise. It took place over a two year period, and the process began with an interview with John Harris and Bill Rodgers, the then Chief Whip and Leader in the House respectively. Having been sworn to secrecy, I was asked firstly whether, if appointed, I would promise …

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Mark Pack

Alright, assuming we get an elected second chamber, what can we do before the election that follows?

By Mark Pack | Thu 22nd July 2010 - 11:57 am

The good news: the Liberal Democrat have secured a commitment to introduce elections by PR for the Upper House. The bad news: the Liberal Democrat record at fighting PR records is decidedly mixed. So what should we do?

There plenty of campaigning still to be done to ensure that an elected Upper House happens, but that needn’t stop thinking about the elections too.

As with the AV referendum, one of the most important acts of preparation is upping the number of local election candidates we stand because of the impact that has on the public’s perception of whether or not we are a party that can win things. As I wrote about the AV referendum, if people go to vote in a local election but find no Lib Dem on the ballot paper:

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Floella Benjamin

Floella Benjamin – through the round window and into the Lords

By Floella Benjamin | Thu 22nd July 2010 - 10:15 am

On the 28th June 2010 I was introduced into the House of Lords. As I gazed around and soaked up the richness of the symbolism, tradition and magnificent surroundings I thought to myself surely I must have reached the summit of life’s mountain, the pinnacle of a career stretching back over forty years. And as I looked back into the valley of life I couldn’t help thinking of my journey. Like the coat worn by the Garter King of Arms, my life has been a rich tapestry of experiences, some good, some bad, but all significant. I believe that every …

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Mark Valladares

Pay attention, there’s more than one Parliament, you know!

By Mark Valladares | Thu 22nd July 2010 - 7:40 am

One of things that has bothered me for longer than I care to remember is the Party’s fixation on the green benches at the north end of the Palace of Westminster, almost to the total exclusion of anything, and everything, else. As a bureaucrat deep within the Party’s structures, I long for the day when more and better people come forward to be Local, Regional and State Party officers, candidate assessors, returning officers and trainers. But we bureaucrats are not alone in being overlooked in favour of the Commons…

Down the corridor, there are seventy-nine Liberal Democrat Peers (with Richard …

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Mark Valladares

Today’s guest editor, in his own words…

By Mark Valladares | Thu 22nd July 2010 - 12:05 am

When the inestimable Mark Pack wrote to a number of bloggers looking for volunteers to guest edit Liberal Democrat Voice for a day, there was an initial chorus of ‘sounds interesting, get back to me when I’m sober’. My response was:

I, on the other hand, am sober. Sober enough to realise that Mark’s offer might not suit my particular skill set. Unless, of course, you want a day enriched by constitutional and organisational minutiae…

Back came the response;

“Thanks for offering to guest edit Lib Dem Voice for a day. Would a day in the week of Sat 17 July – …

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The Voice

Lib Dem Tim Farron leads campaign for charities VAT exemption

By The Voice | Wed 21st July 2010 - 11:12 pm

Third Sector reports:

A Liberal Democrat MP is campaigning to win exemptions from fuel tax and VAT for mountain and cave rescue teams. Tim Farron, the party’s MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, wants the coalition government to provide rescue teams with a VAT refund each year – a policy that was part of the Liberal Democrat manifesto.

“We’re hopeful,” said a spokesman for Farron. “We’re still awaiting a response from the Treasury, but this is something we can make a strong case for. These are emergency services, and they should be treated differently.”

Andy Simpson, a volunteer with Mountain Rescue, said that

…

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Mark Pack

Britain set to gain an extra MEP

By Mark Pack | Wed 21st July 2010 - 11:08 pm

A written answer this week confirmed that Britain’s quota of MEPs is about to increase by one:

European Parliament Elections

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 6 July 2010, Official Report, columns 6-7WS, on the European Parliament Transitionary Protocol, whether the Electoral Commission was consulted on the arrangements for electing a new UK MEP before the intergovernmental conference on 23 June 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Lidington: The transitionary Protocol concerning the composition of the European Parliament is a technical change to the Treaty relating …

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Posted in Election law | Tagged | 4 Comments
Mark Pack

Electoral Commission to investigate Zac Goldsmith’s election expenses

By Mark Pack | Wed 21st July 2010 - 9:30 pm

Having reviewed a complaint made about Zac Goldsmith’s election expenses (the ones that didn’t feature in that TV spat), the Electoral Commission has decided there’s a strong enough case to warrant investigation by them:

The assessment of the information indicated that there was the possibility of a failure to comply with the Representation of the People Act 1983 (RPA) and that further enquiries should be made in order to establish the facts of the matter.

The Electoral Commission could then decide to refer the matter to the police for them to investigate and, potentially, for legal action to be taken. This …

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Posted in Election law | Tagged and | 5 Comments
David Hennigan

Opinion: Why I am so pleased Yarl’s Wood Immigration Prison will be closed for families by this Government

By David Hennigan | Wed 21st July 2010 - 7:45 pm

Today, at Prime Minister’s Questions, the spotlight was on Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. Being the first Liberal to speak to the Commons from the despatch box in place of the Prime Minister was a weird and wonderful thing.

Jack Straw was expected to come out on top, yet his ranting, especially about Sheffield Forgemaster’s, was a confirmation that Labour in opposition continues to put petty, political interests in front of the national interest. Nick Clegg stood up well: he wasn’t brilliant, but did far better than many of the media expected.

The continual baiting of Nick and …

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Posted in Op-eds | 10 Comments
Stephen Tall

Tom Brake: ending of Yarl’s Wood child detention “a sign of Lib Dem influence in Government”

By Stephen Tall | Wed 21st July 2010 - 7:30 pm

Tom Brake, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee for Home Affairs and Justice, has given a warm welcome to the announcement by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg today that the family unit at Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre, where children are detained awaiting deportation, will be closed.

Tom commnets:

Locking up innocent children for months on end can lead to serious physical and psychological harm. It is a disgrace the Labour Government allowed this to take place in 21st century Britain. The Liberal Democrats have had a huge influence in Government and the closure of Yarl’s Wood family unit is a …

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Stephen Tall

How the Westminster Village media is still struggling with concept of coalition

By Stephen Tall | Wed 21st July 2010 - 6:40 pm

It can be surprisingly easy to excite some journalists. Today is a case in point. Nick Clegg stood in for David Cameron at Prime Minister’s Questions. During his exchanges with Jack Straw (who was standing in for Labour’s Harriet Harman), the Deputy Prime Minister referred to the invasion of Iraq as “illegal”.

To most people watching this is not a surprise. The Lib Dems’ opposition to the Iraq war, which was supported by both Labour and the Tories, is pretty well-documented, I think it’s fair to say. The fact that the Lib Dems and Conservatives have reached a coalition agreement does not alter the past, nor does it alter politicians’ individual views. Why should it?

And yet the response from some journalists has been to label this a “gaffe” – a term otherwise known as a politician saying something he believes which a journalist hopes to be able to spin into a story.

Indeed, it’s interesting to see how a story like this can develop.

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Stephen Tall

The last word on the ‘first Liberal leader since the 1920s’ PMQs?

By Stephen Tall | Wed 21st July 2010 - 6:10 pm

Were the Lib Dems right to tweet earlier today that Nick Clegg would taoday become “the first Liberal leader since 1922 to lead PMQs”? That’s the question that’s been raging today.

My LDV Co-Editor Mark Pack believes he has the definitive answer, and has blogged it in his professional capacity here.

His conclusion: “strictly speaking Nick Clegg won’t be the first Liberal (Democrat) leader since 1922 to answer Prime Minster questions.” He is, however, the first Liberal to answer questions in place of the Prime Minister since 1922.

Dr Pack has spoken; surely there can be nothing left to add?

Posted in Parliament and PMQs | 3 Comments
Helen Duffett

Phil Woolas’ future as an MP to be decided “before Parliament reassembles”

By Helen Duffett | Wed 21st July 2010 - 5:44 pm

A High Court judge has ruled that an election court should sit in the Oldham East and Saddleworth constituency on 13 September, to decide whether Phil Woolas can continue as an MP.

As we reported last month, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Elwyn Watkins is challenging the result of the election in Oldham, alleging a breach of the Representation of the People Act (1983). Mr Watkins claims that literature distributed by the Labour party “contained numerous misleading and erroneous claims” regarding his personal character and reputation, and that of his campaign.

Today the BBC reports:

Two High Court Judges will travel

…

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Stephen Tall

What the Lib Dems have achieved in the Coalition Government

By Stephen Tall | Wed 21st July 2010 - 2:50 pm

The party has this morning issued the following briefing note on the achievements of the Lib Dems within the Coalition Government …

In just 10 weeks since the start of the Coalition Government, the Liberal Democrats have exerted a huge influence over its agenda.

Going into the election the Liberal Democrats made clear that they had four key priorities: fairer taxes; a fair start for children with extra funding for disadvantaged pupils; a comprehensive clean up of our politics, including a fairer voting system; and a green, sustainable economy.

Thanks to Lib Dem involvement, the Government will deliver on each of these.

…

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Paul Walter

PMQs: It’s Sheffield Forgemasters, stupid! Oh yes! Of course it is!

By Paul Walter | Wed 21st July 2010 - 1:32 pm

An energetic Nick Clegg took Prime Minister’s Questions today. Notice how casually I said that. Only the first Liberal/LibDem leader to take questions (acting) as PM since Lloyd George in the 1920s. Pretty blooming historic, that.

If that was not enough, our cup ran well and truly over with yet another first and, perhaps, unique occasion. Jack Straw at the dispatch box pretending to be Labour leader! Clegg stood in for Cameron because the latter was in the USA. Straw stood in for Harman because she was in Peckham.

Jack Straw probably does bellowing quite well when he hasn’t got a sore …

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Posted in PMQs | 43 Comments
Stephen Tall

Lloyd George and PMQs – Lib Dems defend their history knowledge

By Stephen Tall | Wed 21st July 2010 - 11:28 am

There’s been discussion this morning – sparked by a tweet from Labour blogger Hopi Sen – about whether Lloyd George was indeed the last Liberal to face Prime Minister’s Questions.

Hopi questioned the Lib Dem claim that Nick Clegg, when he stands in for David Cameron today, will be the first Liberal leader since 1922 to lead PMQs – he commented:

Asquith last Liberal _leader_ to take Qs. Also PMQ’s began in ’61 so no-one did em in 22.

The Lib Dem press office have been quick to refute Hopi’s suggestion that the party is ignorant of its own history, …

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Posted in PMQs | 20 Comments
George Gosling

Opinion: Ending the ban of gay men giving blood – a liberal cause in waiting

By George Gosling | Wed 21st July 2010 - 11:20 am

A new group of Facebook is picking up numbers and making itself known. It is called ‘We Want the Gay Blood Ban Debate’ and its speedy growth is impressive for a specifically Lib Dem campaign. It’s a campaign to try and force a debate at conference about the restrictions on who is fit to give blood.

Many people are not aware of the fact gay men can’t give blood. I am from personal experience. The week after the local nurse talked to my sixth form, a group of a dozen or more of us went to give blood together. For …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged | 12 Comments
Iain Roberts

Sloganizing the Liberal Democrats

By Iain Roberts | Wed 21st July 2010 - 10:20 am

Each of the two major parties enjoys the support of a substantial core of voters who are undisturbed by issues, candidates, meetings and literature…The typical voter is loyal to an “image” which his party has built up by annexing a limited range of sloganized issues.

Mark Abrams, 1951, reported by David Kynaston

The Lib Dem core vote has always been a lot lower than that of the other main parties, and has for some time stood at around 12%. Labour and the Conservatives have a core vote of around 30% of the population.

That gives those parties a huge advantage. …

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Posted in Op-eds | 20 Comments
Baroness Joan Walmsley

Opinion: Get your facts right Polly

By Baroness Joan Walmsley | Wed 21st July 2010 - 9:20 am

In yesterday’s Guardian Polly Toynbee criticises “casual law-making by arbitrary diktat” in relation to the unseemly haste with which the Academies Bill is being shunted through the Commons. She claims the bill was “catapulted” through the Lords (where, by the way, we debated it for a full 31 hours!) and that there is now “no revising chamber: a redundant House of Lords whipped this Bill through with as little scrutiny as it will get in the Commons”. Wrong!

Far from being redundant, the House of Lords obtained five important amendments and numerous significant statements on the record, one of them …

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Posted in Op-eds and Parliament | Tagged and | 8 Comments
The Voice

Labour misled Britain over Iraq role in terror threat – Farron

By The Voice | Tue 20th July 2010 - 6:38 pm

A party news release hits The Voice’s inbox:

Commenting on Eliza Manningham-Buller’s evidence to the Chilcot Inquiry, in which she said the conflict in Iraq ‘substantially’ increased the threat to the UK from international terrorism, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, Tim Farron said:

“This is a shattering blow for Labour’s claim that the Iraq war did not increase the terrorist threat to Britain.

“We already knew that this was a disastrous war for our own brave service personnel and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians. Now we have the head of MI5 at the time saying …

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Mark Pack

The Office of Tax Simplification is on its way

By Mark Pack | Tue 20th July 2010 - 3:50 pm

A Treasury press release tells us:

The Chancellor George Osborne and Exchequer Secretary David Gauke today established the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS).

The Chancellor has appointed a Board of tax experts who will be responsible for leading the work of the OTS over the next year. The Board Members are Michael Jack (Chairman) and John Whiting (Tax Director).

Their responsibilities will be to identify areas where complexities in the tax system for both businesses and individual taxpayers can be reduced and to publish their findings for the Chancellor to consider ahead of his Budget.

The OTS will undertake two initial reviews over the

…

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Mark Pack

The battle over Trident

By Mark Pack | Tue 20th July 2010 - 2:20 pm

At the time the coalition government was negotiated, Trident looked to be one of the most contentious policy areas for the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats to agree on. However, for all the barbed Cameron – Clegg exchanges over Trident during the election, it now looks as if the biggest tensions on the issue are coming from within the Conservative Party.

In my series of posts reviewing the content of the coalition document, I pointed out the compromise it contained on Trident:

It will be replaced unless there is a better value for money alternative. What the wording leaves unclear is the

…

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Stephen Tall

Where next for Lib-Lab cooperation?

By Stephen Tall | Tue 20th July 2010 - 12:35 pm

Two former Labour leadership possibles-never-contenders have talked in the past week about the future prospects for the Lib Dems and the Labour party forming a coalition at some point in the future. Their differing stances say a lot about the current state of British politics. But what they say about the future?

First up, John Denham, the shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary, who made plain his anger at the Lib Dems last week, according to a report in The Independent:

Labour would demand the resignation of Nick Clegg before doing a deal with the Liberal Democrats in a future hung

…

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 85 Comments
Stephen Tall

Simon Hughes: Coalition Government will legislate to allow gay marriage

By Stephen Tall | Tue 20th July 2010 - 12:30 pm

Here’s how PinkNews reports it:

Simon Hughes, the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, has said that the government will give gay couples the right to civil marriage. He predicted that the change would be made before the next general election. Mr Hughes said a consultation would take place in the coalition government on taking civil partnership to the next level.

Speaking in a video interview, he said: “It would be appropriate in Britain in 2010, 2011, for there to be the ability for civil marriage for straight people and gay people equally. That’s different of course from faith ceremonies which

…

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Colin Challen

The Independent View: The government must go further on climate change

By Colin Challen | Tue 20th July 2010 - 11:50 am

Colin Challen was Labour MP for Morley and Rothwell 2001-2010 and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Climate Change Group:

I am living in hope that Chris Huhne has not been handed a poisoned chalice. From my time in parliament I know Chris to be a dedicated environmentalist who understands the issues as well as being open minded. Of course, as a former Labour MP I had differences of opinion, but on the substantive issues like the need for a proper global framework on climate change or the uselessness of nuclear power we were agreed. It is also true that on legislation …

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Posted in Op-eds and The Independent View | Tagged and | 7 Comments
Mark Pack

Book review: Talking to a brick wall by Deborah Mattinson

By Mark Pack | Tue 20th July 2010 - 10:20 am

Deborah Mattinson’s account of what she saw during her time as a leading pollster to the Labour Party certainly doesn’t stint in portraying her own role in what the book calls “Europe’s greatest election winning machine of the modern era”. The fact that Labour won three general elections in a row and yet the fact that, even looking no further than the same country and the same part of the century, the preceding Conservative government did one better and won four general elections in a row, does provide a warning against taking everything in the book – whether from the …

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