Tag Archives: Michael Moore

Michael Moore

Michael Moore MP’s Westminster Notes

By Michael Moore | Wed 13th February 2013 - 8:55 am

Every week, Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Moore MP, writes a column for newspapers in his Borders Constituency. Here is the latest edition. 

Fisheries vote

Last week was crunch time in the European Parliament as MEPs voted in favour of ambitious proposals to reform the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). There has been much concern among local fishermen in Berwickshire about the reform of the CFP because the current system has damaged many local businesses. The measures passed last week are certainly a welcome step in the right direction because they will help end the terrible practice of discards and …

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Michael Moore

Michael Moore MP’s Westminster Notes

By Michael Moore | Wed 6th February 2013 - 10:15 am

Every week, Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Moore MP, writes a column for newspapers in his Borders Constituency. Here is the latest edition. 

Green Deal

In my constituency I know that energy prices are a key concern for local people. It has been one of the UK Government’s top priorities to help tackle this issue by improving the energy efficiency of people’s homes, reducing the confusing number of tariffs available and making it easier for people to switch. The Green Deal, launched last week, will help with the first part by enabling people to insulate their homes or install …

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Caron Lindsay

Electoral Commission advises SNP to change Independence Referendum question

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 30th January 2013 - 1:30 pm

The Electoral Commission has published its advice on both the question for next year’s referendum on whether Scotland should leave the UK and spending limits. Both sides of the debate have been quick to accept the recommendations, which means that most of the issues on process should now be resolved.

This means that Scots will be asked next Autumn to answer:

Should Scotland be an independent country? Yes/No

This is different from the SNP Government’s proposed question:

Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?

And also from the rather cumbersome question drawn up by a panel set up by the parties who …

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Michael Moore

Michael Moore MP’s Westminster Notes

By Michael Moore | Wed 23rd January 2013 - 8:48 am

Snow near St Abbs - Some rights reserved by Effervescing ElephantEvery week, Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Moore MP, writes a column for newspapers in his Borders Constituency. Here is the latest edition. 

State pension

In my column last week I touched upon the Government’s plans, announced by Lib Dem Pensions Minister Steve Webb, to introduce a single tier State Pension of £144 in 2017. The new pension will mean

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Caron Lindsay

Michael Moore MP: “We can’t have the Scottish Government fast forwarding through the difficult bits”

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 17th January 2013 - 2:55 pm

Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore told an audience in Edinburgh today that the SNP must stop talking about the process, must stop trying to get the UK Government to negotiate the terms under which Scotland could separate from the UK and get on with setting out their case.

We cannot have the Scottish Government fast forwarding through all the difficult bits to their longed for ending where they clinch a  referendum victory.

People want to know what independence would mean for them, their families, and their communities.

Planning the summits and designing the constitutional apparatus is like framing and

…

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Caron Lindsay

LibLink… Michael Moore MP: Uncertainty of independence can’t be wished away

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 16th January 2013 - 2:52 pm

Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland wrote in this weekend’s Scotland on Sunday about the next steps as Scotland approaches the referendum on independence which will take place in the Autumn of 2014.

Now that the relevant Section 30 Order, giving the Scottish Parliament the power to hold that referendum is clearing its way through Parliament, the focus turns to the issues rather than the process:

But we need the “great debate” to flush out all the issues. Over the next few weeks and months, the UK Government will start publishing a series of papers that look at Scotland’s position in

…

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Michael Moore

Michael Moore MP’s Westminster Notes

By Michael Moore | Wed 16th January 2013 - 9:25 am

Every week, Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore MP writes a column for newspapers in his Borders constituency. Here is the latest edition.

State Pension

One of the Lib Dem’s top priorities since forming the Coalition Government has been to reform the State Pension and ensure that people can expect a fair and decent level of support when they retire. This is why we introduced the pensions ‘triple lock’ so that every year pensions would rise by either inflation, 2.5% or earnings and end the paltry 75p rises we saw under Labour. As a result of this triple lock, …

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Michael Moore

Michael Moore MP’s Westminster Notes

By Michael Moore | Wed 9th January 2013 - 8:56 am

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

Happy New Year!

First of all I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and Best Wishes for 2013. With 2012 now at an end, there is no doubt that it was a pretty special year with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic and Paralympic games providing great entertainment and a sense of pride for the whole country. While 2013 may have less to offer in terms of international sporting events and royal celebrations, I’m …

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Stephen Tall

Party members vote Vince Cable Lib Dem Minister of the Year (again)

By Stephen Tall | Thu 27th December 2012 - 8:05 pm

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.

Vince, Ed and Michael: the Lib Dems’ top trio in government

Vince Cable smiling - Some rights reserved by Liberal DemocratsLDV asked: In your opinion, which Lib Dem government minister has had the best year?

This question allowed an unprompted, free-text response, which c.450 of our respondents rose to. And here’s what you told us:

    1. Vince Cable (144)
    2. Ed Davey (70)
    3. Michael Moore (42)
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Caron Lindsay

A year in the life of…..the Scottish independence referendum

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 19th December 2012 - 2:30 pm

Saltire - St Andrews Flag - Scotland - Some rights reserved by byronv2I thought it might be a bit amusing to trawl through the Lib Dem Voice archives and have a look at how certain stories have developed during 2012.

This time last year, it looked like it was all going wrong for the Scotland Bill that Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore was piloting through Parliament. On top of that, confusion reigned over the forthcoming referendum on independence with the Scottish and Westminster Governments seemingly on a collision …

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Michael Moore

Michael Moore MP’s Westminster Notes

By Michael Moore | Thu 13th December 2012 - 4:37 pm

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

Autumn statement

The Chancellor gave his Autumn Statement last week which outlined the decisions the Government is taking to boost growth, cut taxes for those on low incomes and ensure the richest pay their

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Michael Moore

Michael Moore’s Westminster Notes

By Michael Moore | Wed 5th December 2012 - 10:22 am

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

St Andrew’s Day

Last week, as Secretary of State for Scotland, I gave the inaugural speech in the annual St Andrew’s Day Address which is being established this year at the Scotland Office in London. This annual Address will see individuals in business, education, politics, media, charities and the arts speaking to an audience in London …

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Caron Lindsay

Michael Moore MP: Green investment bank good for Scotland and whole UK

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 28th November 2012 - 7:31 pm

Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore has tonight emailed Liberal Democrat members to mark the launch of the Green Investment Bank. Three of the five Liberal Democrat Cabinet ministers were in Edinburgh today for the occasion: Mike, Vince Cable and Ed Davey.

The email said:

Earlier today I joined Vince Cable and Ed Davey in Edinburgh to give the UK Green Investment Bank (GIB) its official launch.

The triumvirate of Ministers underlines that this is a Liberal Democrat-led initiative that will stimulate renewable energy innovation in

…

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Michael Moore

Michael Moore’s Westminster Notes

By Michael Moore | Wed 28th November 2012 - 11:37 am

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

David Steel book launch

Last week I attended the launch of the latest biography of David Steel in Westminster, this one written by David Torrance.  At the event I was pleased to be able to thank David publicly for the support and inspiration he has been to me over the years.

The book, to which I contributed the foreword (but otherwise none of the writing or research!) is certainly a testament to all David has achieved in his political career and, as his successor as Borders MP, I owe him a significant debt of gratitude. This new biography reflects on what I believe to be one of the most important and diverse political careers of recent times and I would encourage everyone to get a copy and give it a read!

Grocery Code Adjudicator

In my constituency, farming is an extremely important industry and as local MP I have been campaigning for fair prices for our farmers in a market which, for too long, has been balanced in favour of big supermarkets.  This is why last week I welcomed further progress on the Government’s Grocery Code Adjudicator Bill which received its Second Reading in the House of Commons.

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Michael Moore

Michael Moore’s Westminster Notes

By Michael Moore | Wed 21st November 2012 - 12:30 pm

Every week, Michael Moore MP, Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland, writes a column for newspapers in his Borders constituency. Here’s the latest edition in which he is too modest, however, to draw attention to the fact that he won Best Scot at Westminster in the Herald’s Scottish Politician of the Year awards,  

Post Offices

In recent months a number of my constituents have written to me

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Caron Lindsay

Liberal Democrat Michael Moore named “Best Scot at Westminster”

By Caron Lindsay | Tue 20th November 2012 - 4:37 pm

It’s been a good few weeks for Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Moore.  First of all, he was described as Westminster’s answer to James Bond by John Rentoul in the Independent for his role in bringing about the Edinburgh Agreement which set the process for Scotland’s independence referendum. Rentoul said:

Salmond has been underestimated before, although support for independence in opinion polls has rarely exceeded one third of the electorate. But he may have met his match in Moore, as skilful in judging the politics of Whitehall as he is the mood of Scotland. It may be that, after the referendum, Moore will be counted the most successful Liberal Democrat in the Cabinet, and, even, the man who saved the United Kingdom.

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Michael Moore

Michael Moore’s Westminster Notes

By Michael Moore | Wed 14th November 2012 - 9:55 am

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

Mobile phone coverage

Mobile phone service ‘not spots’ across my constituency remain a huge frustration for local people and have a serious knock-on effect for businesses and Borderers going about their daily lives. As local MP, I have been working for many years to tackle this issue and I have welcomed the UK Government’s commitment, through the Mobile Infrastructure Project, to invest £150million to improve mobile phone signal in rural areas and on key transport routes.

Last week I …

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Michael Moore

Michael Moore’s Westminster Notes

By Michael Moore | Wed 7th November 2012 - 8:58 am

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

Borders Businesses

As the new GDP figures point in the right direction and a return to growth, I am working with local business here in the Borders to ensure they receive the support and advice they need to grow and create jobs for local people. At the moment I am conducting a Business Survey to assist me in this work and I want to encourage any business in Berwickshire which has not yet received one of these surveys to contact …

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Mark Pack

What they say about Michael Moore…

By Mark Pack | Sun 4th November 2012 - 5:50 pm

Full story: Meet Westminster’s answer to James Bond.

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Caron Lindsay

A snapshot of Scottish Liberal Democrat Conference

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 31st October 2012 - 7:47 pm

Scottish Liberal Democrats met for a busy annual Autumn conference in Dunfermline last Saturday. The day started with the most delicious sliced sausage ever. Subjects debated by members (all of whom have a vote), include reverse vending machines, honest lets, cuts to student funding, affordable childcare and the Home Rule Commission chaired by Sir Menzies Campbell.  Charles Kennedy also took part in that debate.

There were keynote speeches from Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore, new Business and Equalities Minister Jo Swinson and leader Willie Rennie. Danny Alexander did a question and answer session on the Mid Term Review and …

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Michael Moore

Michael Moore’s Westminster Notes

By Michael Moore | Wed 31st October 2012 - 4:28 pm

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

Eyemouth Renewables

I have been working with Eyemouth Harbour Trust and other local stakeholders over recent years to ensure our local economy benefits from the planned offshore wind development in the Firth

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Caron Lindsay

LDVideo: Why we are better together

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 31st October 2012 - 9:45 am

The Scottish Liberal Democrats are part of the Better Together campaign which will be putting the positive case for Scotland to stay in the UK in the forthcoming referendum campaign.

Better Together have produced a video which shows young people from across Scotland saying why they don’t want to see their country broken up. Their arguments range from greater global influence on human rights and LGBT equality to international aid to greater security and jobs at home.

One good thing, as I wrote recently,  is that Liberal Democrat Secretary of State Michael Moore has given the SNP government the power to implement the long-standing Liberal Democrat policy of giving the vote in the referendum to 16 and 17 year olds.

Enjoy!

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Stephen Tall

In other news… Nick talks Dutch, Farron’s footie boycott, Hemming’s whistleblower charter & more

By Stephen Tall | Sun 28th October 2012 - 6:45 pm

Here’s a round-up of stories we haven’t had time to cover on the site this past few days…

Nick Clegg insists on speaking Dutch at Cabinet Office meeting (Telegraph)

Nick Clegg, who speaks five languages fluently, chose to conduct a recent meeting at the Cabinet Office with Herman Van Rompuy, the European Council president, entirely in Dutch. Did the Deputy Prime Minister, whose mother is from the Netherlands, do so to outfox a Downing Street official whom David Cameron had allegedly sent to spy on their conversation? “Nick enjoys being able to talk Dutch,” the Liberal Democrat leader’s spokesman tells Mandrake.

…

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Stephen Tall

Your essential weekend reader — 8 must-read articles you may have missed

By Stephen Tall | Sat 20th October 2012 - 8:25 am

It’s Saturday morning, so here are eight thought-provoking articles to stimulate your thinking juices…

Three big things I’ve got wrong since I’ve starting blogging and commenting – ConservativeHome’s Tim Montgomerie confesses to a trio of big errors on the NHS, higher-rate tax and equalities: “One of the many reasons I don’t want to be an MP is that I think this sort of ability to think openly and reflectively is probably impossible when you are standing for office.”

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Michael Moore

Michael Moore’s Westminster Notes

By Michael Moore | Wed 17th October 2012 - 6:55 pm

Every week Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore writes a column for newspapers in his Borders constituency. 

Independence Referendum

Over the past month, I have been working with the Scottish Government to agree the terms of the independence referendum and I am pleased to say that this week, the Prime Minister and the First Minister signed the agreement. This agreement is the culmination of months of debate and several weeks of talks I have held with the Deputy First Minister on this issue.

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Caron Lindsay

The unsung hero of the Edinburgh Agreement

By Caron Lindsay | Tue 16th October 2012 - 11:53 am

As I watched the events unfold in the Edinburgh sunshine today, as Alex Salmond and David Cameron signed the historic Agreement on the process for the Independence Referendum, my thoughts were with the man who actually put the leg work in on this.

To put it bluntly, if we’d waited for David Cameron and Alex Salmond to reach agreement, we’d be waiting until people were telling their grandchildren about the day Hell froze over. In fact, only recently the Tories were murmuring about the UK Government running its own referendum. That, believe me, would not have ended well.

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Michael Moore

Michael Moore MP’s Westminster Notes

By Michael Moore | Wed 19th September 2012 - 2:55 pm

Local catch ups

In my work as Borders MP I have regular catch ups with local public services such as NHS Borders, Lothian and Borders police and Scottish Borders Council. These are valuable meetings during which I am updated on key local issues and I am able bring my constituents’ concerns to their attention. Last week, as part of these regular catch ups, I met with Chief Superintendent John Hawkins in Hawick to discuss the work of local police and the crime and policing issues.

Referendum

Ever since the Scottish Government announced their plan to hold a referendum on Scottish Independence, I have …

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Michael Moore

Michael Moore MP’s Westminster Notes

By Michael Moore | Fri 14th September 2012 - 11:21 am

Cabinet reshuffle

Last week I was honoured to be re-appointed as Scottish Secretary by the Prime Minister as he conducted his first re-shuffle of the UK Government cabinet since the 2010 election. Combining this with my responsibilities as Borders MP has been a great privilege over the last two years and I am looking forward to continuing to serve Borderers and Scots in these two roles.

There is no doubt that Scotland currently faces many challenges in terms of the economy, growth and jobs and I am committed to getting the best deal for Borderers and all other Scots, as MP and …

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Michael Moore

Michael Moore MP’s Westminster Notes

By Michael Moore | Thu 6th September 2012 - 2:25 pm

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

Paralympics

The fantastic display of sport and athleticism we saw in the Olympics last month is now being displayed all the more in the London 2012 Paralympics, with an astonishing haul of medals from Paralympics GB. Sadly however for the Borders, Kate Murray was unsuccessful last week in her medal bid in the archery but she has said that she aims to represent her country again in Rio in four years’ time. As local MP, I want to …

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Transfer deadline day: Laws, Brake, Foster & Swinson in, Burstow, Teather, Harvey & Stunell out, Clarke loan finishes

By James Percival | Wed 5th September 2012 - 1:32 pm

I love reshuffle days, they’re just like transfer deadline day. You sit there at your office computer pretending to work while secretly updating the Guardian live blog to see who your side has brought in and let go.

So, have we strengthened the side for the second half of the season or left gaping holes in our defence?

Well, we have managed to hold on to all our big players – Cable, Alexander, Davey and Moore – and, despite losing his place to Alexander after his suspension early in the season, we now have a fighting fit Laws back and ready …

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Recent Comments

  • AM
    It's been slightly odd & nostalgic - this sense of pride and belonging. Very grateful to all those MPs, and to Ed & Josh for leading from the [united] f...
  • AM
    Wholeheartedly agree. It has been refreshing to hear Liberal Democrat leadership and parliamentarians taking a strong and unapologetic stand that is unequivocal...
  • Ben Wood
    It is such sad news. I was lucky to get to know Micheal over the last few years (working on a book project for the John Stuart Mill Institute). He reaffirmed fo...
  • Ed Sanderson
    Very sad news. I remember many a lively evening of erudite discussion in Leeds - Michael was a true intellect - and a genuinely warm soul. My condolences to his...
  • Jack
    This is bang on. What is the point of a liberal party that won't stand up for rights, especially when both government and opposition want to make hay out of div...