Our place to talk – an independent website for supporters of the Liberal Democrat party in the UK.

The most-read independent website by and for Lib Dem supporters. Not paid for by trade unions or millionaires.

Tag Archives: matthew oakeshott

Tim Farron disagrees with Nick on minority Government

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 19th June 2014 - 3:04 pm

Nick Clegg has been saying a lot recently that it’s coalition or nothing – the Liberal Democrats aren’t interested in propping up a minority Government because we’d get all the blame and none of the chance to do any actual good.

I can see the logic to that point of view, certainly. However, Tim Farron, in an interview with the New Statesman has directly contradicted Nick, saying that we shouldn’t rule anything out:

When you go into negotiations with another party you have to believe,

…

Continue reading »

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged new statesman and tim farron | 32 Comments

Opinion: We won in 2010 with compassion, is it the key to victory in 2015?

By Patrick McAuley | Tue 3rd June 2014 - 11:31 am

According to the media Liberal Democrats are behaving like rats in a sack with each member trying to eat (and in some cases spit out the other). Of course the media are less accommodating when it comes to highlighting the review that Nick commissioned with James Gurling, Cllr Abi Bell, Cllr Ruth Dombey and George Lyon.

While a review is welcome it is not the whole answer. What will help us in 2015 is engaging with some of those traditional Liberal Democrat liabilities, namely our compassion.

Take Lord Oakeshott. While I can’t comment …

Continue reading »

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged ukip | 23 Comments

Dick Newby writes … revisiting the Limehouse Declaration

By Dick Newby | Mon 2nd June 2014 - 12:47 pm

On the wall of our downstairs loo is a framed copy of the Limehouse Declaration, issued at the inception of the SDP on 21 January 1981.

In the light of Matthew Oakeshott’s parting contention that Nick has led us as a party without roots, principles or values, I have re-read it to test his contention.

On international affairs the post-2010 Lib Dems have followed Limehouse to the letter – not just by being rooted and principled over Europe, but by our record on international development – underpinned by giving 0.7% of GDP in aid for the first time ever.

Continue reading »

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged featured and limehouse declaration | 17 Comments

Cable: “Lord Oakeshott’s actions are totally inexcusable”

By The Voice | Tue 27th May 2014 - 5:57 pm

Business secretary Vince Cable has released the following statement in the last few moments:

Lord Oakeshott’s actions are totally inexcusable and unacceptable. I have made it very clear repeatedly that he does not speak or act for me.

Commissioning and publishing polls without the consent of the Member of Parliament, as in the case of Sheffield Hallam, is utterly reprehensible.

There are undoubtedly raw feelings in the wake of poor local and European election results. We need to respond in a measured way. Public speculation about the leadership is an unwelcome distraction and as I made absolutely clear yesterday there is no leadership issue as far as I’m concerned.

Continue reading »

Posted in News | Also tagged vince cable | 51 Comments

++Breaking news: Matthew Oakeshott commissioned the Guardian poll

By Mary Reid | Tue 27th May 2014 - 4:21 pm

The Independent has revealed that Matthew Oakeshott was the ‘Lib Dem supporter’ behind the ICM polling which we covered here.

In an article headed ‘Vince Cable allies accused of plotting to bring down Nick Clegg‘ it claims:

Lord Oakeshott has been a close friend of Mr Cable for many years and has made no secret of his desire to see the Business Secretary succeed Mr Clegg.

Continue reading »

Posted in News | 55 Comments

LDVideo: The ladder, the elephant and the bird that flies to the left

By The Voice | Sun 2nd March 2014 - 4:30 pm

Today’s Sunday Politics featured three parliamentarians putting forward new ideas for their party logos. We wonder if they actually tried to find an MP, or whether the BBC just went to Matthew Oakeshott to give him the chance to do his traditional “Let’s get rid of Nick Clegg” pre-Conference spiel.

Anyway, here are the efforts they came up with. I actually think Halfon’s had the best rationale, although I expect a health and safety adviser would have had something to say about unsafe working practices.

Continue reading »

Posted in News | Also tagged bbc | 3 Comments

Two Liberal Democrats on holiday together. They MUST be plotting to overthrow Nick Clegg

By Newsmoggie | Sun 23rd February 2014 - 4:13 pm

Today’s Mail on Sunday has a story which reaches all sorts of wild conclusions from a few raw facts. Of course you could argue that that’s the rule for virtually all stories in that publication. And you’d be right.

The headline screams: Cable holds “secret ski summit” in French Alps with peer plotting to oust Nick Clegg.

It doesn’t take you very long to realise that this wasn’t some great plotting session, but, in fact, a holiday during the Parliamentary recess.

The piece also contains the revelation that their hotel boasted a gym, jacuzzi and swimming pool. How very unusual that is …

Continue reading »

Posted in News | Also tagged mail on sunday and vince cable | 17 Comments

LDVideo: Matthew Oakeshott on the Lib Dem differentiation strategy

By The Voice | Mon 10th February 2014 - 4:05 pm

BBC’s Sunday Politics looked at recent statements by leading Lib Dems – including three of the Coalition’s biggest champions, Nick Clegg, Danny Alexander and David Laws – widely seen as an attempt to differentiate the party from the Conservatives:

Post by BBC Daily Politics & Sunday Politics.

Posted in YouTube | Also tagged sunday politics | 3 Comments

5 reasons not to assume the FDP wipeout in the German elections will happen here in the UK

By Stephen Tall | Mon 23rd September 2013 - 9:10 am

An amazing result for Angela Merkel, increasing her vote and almost winning an absolute majority for the conservative CDU in her third election. A dire one for the liberal FDP, eliminated from the German Bundestag after failing to cross the 5% popular vote threshold – from 93 seats to 0 in one go. Ouch.

Part of the fun of elections in foreign countries is cherry-picking the bits of confirmation bias that suit our own weltenschaung. “Liberal party wiped out after coalition with centre-right party, eh – you just wait til …

Continue reading »

Posted in Europe / International | Also tagged fdp, featured, germany, john pugh, Norway and venstre | 58 Comments

Clegg leadership plot: Gove’s ‘crazy grenade’ detonates, briefly, before Tories revert to arguing about Europe

By Stephen Tall | Sun 12th May 2013 - 11:05 am

Hats off to Mr Gove! With the Tory party in its customary state of internecine warfare over Europe, the education secretary used his interview this morning on The Andrew Marr Show to allege a leadership plot to overthrow Nick Clegg. Here’s PoliticsHome’s account:

Michael Gove has suggested Nick Clegg’s opposition to increasing childminders-toddlers ratio is due to an internal Liberal Democrat plot to unseat him as leader.

Mr Clegg said last week that he was “yet to be persuaded” by the case for allowing staff to look after more children.

However Mr Gove today said the reforms, which were defended by

…

Continue reading »

Posted in News | Also tagged michael gove, nick clegg and vince cable | 32 Comments

Tim Farron tops our poll as Lib Dem politician who enjoyed the best 2012

By Stephen Tall | Sat 29th December 2012 - 11:20 am

Lib Dem Voice polled our members-only forum recently to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. Over 500 party members have responded, and we’re publishing the full results.

Farron, Huppert and Oakeshott had best 2012 say Lib Dem members

LDV asked: In your opinion, which Lib Dem MP or peer overall has had the best year?
This question allowed an unprompted, free-text response, which over 400 party members filled in. And …

Continue reading »

Posted in LDV Members poll | Also tagged featured, julian huppert and tim farron | 6 Comments

Lords reform is dead! Long live, erm, a bloated, ineffective, undemocratic Lords!

By Stephen Tall | Sat 24th November 2012 - 10:40 am

The Guardian reports today that dozens of new life peers are to be appointed to the House of Lords:

Political parties are preparing to draw up lists for dozens of new appointments to the House of Lords in a move that will reignite controversy over creating peers just months after the collapse of legislation to dramatically reduce the second chamber. The move, which is expected to create at

Continue reading »

Posted in News | Also tagged lords reform | 20 Comments

LibLink: Matthew Oakeshott – Osborne isn’t working – how do we rebuild the economy?

By Nick T | Thu 1st November 2012 - 2:48 pm

Writing in the Guardian, Lord (Matthew) Oakeshott is typically forthright in his assessment of the chancellor’s performance and the changes he would like to see:

What we need instead is a far bolder plan for economic recovery. I call it plan C for construction and capital investment rather than plan B but we can all agree at least, on this side of the debate, that Osborne isn’t working. We must be mad to treat our record low long-term interest rates as some sort of virility symbol, instead of an unrepeatable opportunity to finance desperately needed investment.

The pension funds and insurance companies

…

Continue reading »

Posted in LibLink | 8 Comments

If you’re going to suggest that Nick Clegg isn’t the answer, you need a plan B ready…

By Mark Valladares | Sun 2nd September 2012 - 10:52 am

Following the interventions of Matthew Oakeshott and Trevor Smith, there will be those both inside and outside the Liberal Democrats, who will be looking forward to next month’s Federal Conference with an eye to a future. Not necessarily the future, but a future nonetheless.

But before anyone gets terribly carried away, there are two key questions that need to be asked and, ideally, answered.

What are you changing the Leader for?

Continue reading »

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged nick clegg, party leadership and trevor smith | 50 Comments

Who Lib Dem members think are the most effective non-MPs at promoting the party

By Stephen Tall | Tue 14th August 2012 - 7:55 am

Lib Dem Voice polled our members-only forum recently to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. Some 500 party members have responded, and we’re publishing the full results.

Oakeshott, Ashdown and Pack top your list

LDV asked: Which prominent Lib Dems who are NOT MPs (eg, peers, campaigners) are doing an effective job of promoting the party to the public? Please write-in.

…

Continue reading »

Posted in LDV Members poll | Also tagged brian paddick, Caroline Pidgeon, chris davies, chris rennard, evan harris, kirsty williams, lord mcnally, Mark Pack, paddy ashdown, ros scott, shirley williams, stephen tall, susan kramer, tony greaves and willie rennie | 6 Comments

LibLink: Matthew Oakeshott – The Treasury needs a new team to stop this slide back into recession

By Mary Reid | Fri 27th July 2012 - 2:55 pm

In The Guardian Matthew Oakeshott writes:

Britain’s economy after this week’s grim GDP figures looks like an old steam train struggling up Shap Fell. George Osborne, the driver, is doing his best but there’s just not enough coal in the firebox, the train’s lost momentum, and it’s slipping back down the hill. We need two massive growth locomotives, called housing and banking, with a new team on the footplate to stop the slide.

That’s why I’ve been saying we need a bold plan A+, making banks lend, especially RBS,

…

Continue reading »

Posted in LibLink | Also tagged george osborne and treasury | 14 Comments

Vince Cable on the economy, George Osborne and his own ambitions

By Mark Pack | Thu 26th July 2012 - 9:14 am

From last night’s Newsnight:

Continue reading »

Posted in News and YouTube | Also tagged economy, george osborne and vince cable | 3 Comments

As economy shrinks again, Oakeshott calls for Osborne to be moved to make way for “our A team at the treasury”

By Stephen Tall | Wed 25th July 2012 - 1:35 pm

Here’s how The Guardian reports the call by Lord (Matthew) Oakeshott for George Osborne to be moved from Number 11 in the wake of today’s fresh dire news on the economy:

A senior Liberal Democrat peer has called on George Osborne to be sacked as the chancellor continued to insist the government was on the right economic path, despite “disappointing” official

Continue reading »

Posted in News | Also tagged economy, gdp, nicholas watt and vince cable | 24 Comments

LDVideo: Oakeshott on Osborne, Oaten on BSkyB, George on fishermen

By The Voice | Sat 2nd June 2012 - 2:52 pm

You can catch up with many of the recent appearances of Lib Dems in the media on LibDemVoice’s ‘Video’ page.

Lord Oakeshott: Osborne ‘should focus on the day job’

Continue reading »

Posted in YouTube | Also tagged andrew george and mark oaten | 2 Comments

Tune in to Iain Dale’s Lib Dem night tonight on LBC, featuring Nick Clegg, Simon Hughes and others

By Nick T | Mon 8th August 2011 - 4:54 pm

Iain Dale returns to his evening show on London’s LBC radio tonight with a Lib Dem special. First up is a live Q & A with deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, followed by interviews with a whole host of prominent Lib Dems, including three of the four London Mayoral hopefuls as well as deputy leader Simon Hughes.

Here’s the schedule in full from Iain’s blog:

6-7pm Live Q & A with LibDem leader Nick Clegg
7-7.30pm Interview with Nick Clegg (tbc)
7.30-8pm Reaction to Clegg with Lord Oakeshott, Susan Kramer & Jo Phillips
8-9pm Meet the LibDem London Mayoral Candidates – Brian Paddick, Brian

…

Continue reading »

Posted in News | Also tagged brian haley, brian paddick, iain dale, jo phillips, lembit opik, london mayoral selection, mike tuffrey, nick clegg, simon hughes and susan kramer | Leave a comment

The Lib Dems on ‘Hackgate’ and Murdoch: Ashdown, Huhne, Hughes, Farron, Oakeshott all join the fray

By Stephen Tall | Sun 10th July 2011 - 4:25 pm

It’s been a frenzied week in British politics, with attention for once focused less on the mis-deeds of politicans than the criminality practised by many journalists, both at the News of the World and beyond. Here’s a brief round-up of what the Lib Dems have been saying…

BSkyB takeover: Lib Dems hint at backing Labour motion to delay deal (Guardian)

The Liberal Democrats have indicated they could back a Labour move in parliament to delay the Murdoch takeover of BSkyB until after the police investigations into phone hacking. …

Hughes told Sky News: “We have to be careful and I would

…

Continue reading »

Posted in News | Also tagged chris huhne, media, news international, nick clegg, paddy ashdown, rupert murdoch, simon hughes and tim farron | 8 Comments

Lord Stoneham defends Goodwin disclosure

By The Voice | Tue 24th May 2011 - 9:16 am

The Liberal Democrat peer who disclosed that former Royal Bank of Scotland chief Sir Fred Goodwin had a relationship with a senior colleague defended his action last night.

Using Parliamentary privilege, Lord Stoneham of Droxford told peers last Thursday:

Every taxpayer has a direct public interest in the events leading up to the collapse of the Royal Bank of Scotland, so how can it be right for a super-injunction to hide the alleged relationship between Sir Fred Goodwin and a senior colleague?

If true, it would be a serious breach of corporate governance and not even the Financial Services Authority would be

…

Continue reading »

Posted in Parliament | Also tagged ben stoneham and william wallace | 2 Comments

The Independent Banking Commission publishes its interim report

By The Voice | Mon 11th April 2011 - 6:23 pm

Via the BBC:

UK banks’ retail operations should be “ring-fenced” from their investment banking arms, the Independent Commission on Banking has recommended.

However, in its interim report the commission stopped short of recommending the two should operate as separate entities.

It said more competition was needed in retail banking, including the sell-off of more Lloyds branches.

The commission’s final recommendations will be published in September.

Robert Peston adds,

The big banks will claim that putting their retail banks into subsidiaries would impose significant extra costs on them – because it would force them to raise and retain more capital (which is expensive), and it

…

Continue reading »

Posted in News | Also tagged banking, independent commission on banking, john vickers and robert peston | 4 Comments

Independent Commission on Banking threatened mass resignation to make Osborne back-off

By Mark Pack | Tue 1st March 2011 - 7:34 pm

Matthew Oakeshott’s departure as a Liberal Democrat spokesman for criticising the ‘Project Merlin’ deal with the banks over bonuses and the like may have got the headlines, but the real story is revealed by Anthony Hilton in the Evening Standard – all the members of the Commission threatened to resign in protest at government interference with their work.

The Government offered to emasculate the Independent Commission on Banking as it tried to strike a deal on bank bonuses a few weeks ago. I am told it backed off only when Sir John Vickers, chairman of the inquiry, and his entire committee, Clare

…

Continue reading »

Posted in News | Also tagged banking, george osborne, independent commission on banking, john vickers and lord turner | 13 Comments

Matthew Oakeshott profiled in The Guardian

By Mark Pack | Sat 26th February 2011 - 6:41 pm

Today’s Guardian has a profile of Lib Dem peer Lord (Matthew) Oakeshott:

Lord Oakeshott is the master of the one-liner. Treasury officials, in his opinion, “couldn’t negotiate themselves out of a paper bag”. Bankers’ pay particularly irks him: “If this is bonus restraint, my name is Bob Diamond,” is one of the most memorable remarks uttered by any politician this year…

Continue reading »

Posted in News | 9 Comments

Lord Oakeshott departs as a Lib Dem Treasury spokesman

By Mark Pack | Wed 9th February 2011 - 10:33 pm

By “mutual agreement”, earlier today Lord Oakeshott stopped being a Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman in the Lords. In a lively alternative to the usually banal exchange of letters on such occasions, Oakeshott and Danny Alexander instead exchanged waspish soundbites.

Matthew Oakeshott criticised today’s deal with the banks on bonuses, lending and other matters saying, “If this is robust action on bank bonuses, my name’s Bob Diamond and I’m going to claim my £9m bonus next week”.

Danny Alexander responded on Channel 4 that his “name clearly isn’t Bob Diamond”.

Lord Oakeshott was not “the” Liberal Democrat spokesman in the Lords, a role which …

Continue reading »

Posted in News | Also tagged cathy newman and Danny Alexander | 48 Comments

Lord Oakeshott attacks Barclays over bonsues

By Mark Pack | Sat 5th February 2011 - 6:25 pm

The Guardian reports:

Barclays was tonight accused of making a mockery of attempts to call a truce with the government over “banker bashing” amid fresh expectations that its chief executive Bob Diamond would be awarded a bonus of at least £8m.

After months of talking with the banks, the coalition is yet to announce a deal, codenamed Merlin, under which the industry would to agree lending targets of up to £190bn and show restraint on bonuses in return for less criticism from the government.

The talks with the banks have been led by Diamond’s predecessor John Varley and tonight Lord Oakeshott, a Liberal

…

Continue reading »

Posted in News | Also tagged banking, bob diamond and john varley | 16 Comments

Lord Oakeshott attacks bank bonus secrecy

By Mark Pack | Sat 8th January 2011 - 3:32 pm

From The Guardian:

Cracking down on bankers’ bonuses is a “moment of truth” for the coalition government, a leading Liberal Democrat has warned, amid mounting expectations that payments of at least £7bn will be awarded in the coming weeks…

Lord Oakeshott, a Liberal Democrat treasury spokesman, said this was a moment for the coalition to act, particularly on forcing more disclosure from banks on the amount they pay.

“This is the coalition’s moment of truth on fairness,” he said. “The first item on our coalition agreement is a promise to deal with unacceptable bankers’ bonuses. Secret bonuses are by definition unacceptable, so

…

Continue reading »

Posted in News | Also tagged banking | 9 Comments

The Huhne – Oakeshott two-step

By Mark Pack | Mon 1st November 2010 - 10:51 pm

Over the weekend we saw two stories, two prominent Liberal Democrats, two public staking out of positions on issues that are the subject of much debate within the coalition in Whitehall:

David Cameron was warned yesterday by a senior Lib Dem not to delay the introduction of legislation banning non-doms from making donations to political parties in Britain. In a sign of strains within the coalition, Treasury spokesman Lord Oakeshott said there was “absolutely no reason” to delay the legislation. (The Guardian)

and

Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat energy secretary, reiterated his party’s strong opposition to retaining a policy that he had previously

…

Continue reading »

Posted in News | Also tagged chris huhne and theresa may | 3 Comments

Oakeshott: New tax only way to end bank bonus culture

By Sara Bedford | Wed 6th October 2010 - 10:18 am

A Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman has called for a new tax on bonuses to be placed on banks. Lord Oakeshott’s call came after the Royal Bank of Scotland’s chairman claimed that regulation was the only way to restrain the annual bonus bonanza in the financial services industry. Sir Philip Hampton admitted that the bank was “paying a lot of people who aren’t worth it” and concluded that, whilst RBS had made changes to the structure of bonus deals to avoid rewards for failure, “My own view is it can probably only be decisively solved through regulation”.

Continue reading »

Posted in News | 10 Comments