Tag Archives: nick clegg

Clegg on the “profound effect” of fixed-term Parliaments

By The Voice | Mon 13th September 2010 - 2:22 pm

NickClegg.com has noted the significance of today’s legislation to establish the principle of fixed-term parliaments, removing from Prime Ministerial whim the timing of future general elections:

“Establishing parliaments of fixed-terms is a straightforward, but fundamental, change in our politics. It is a simple constitutional innovation, but one that will have a profound effect.”

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has pledged the introduction of a five year fixed term parliaments will have a “profound effect” and lead to greater stability in the political system.

The Fixed term Parliaments Bill faces its second reading in the House of Commons this afternoon.

“Establishing parliaments of fixed-terms is

…

Posted in News and Parliament | Also tagged fixed-term parliaments | 27 Comments

Dear Nick Clegg…

By Mark Pack | Sat 11th September 2010 - 9:26 am

Dear Deputy Prime Minister,

I read your speech from Thursday to the Committee on Standards in Public Life with interest. It is good to see the progress being made in many areas of political reform, including the commitment made in the speech that, “in the New Year we will produce draft legislation to complete the modernization of the House of Lords”.

Much else too in the speech was good to read, but I think you are missing an important issue about how the changes to election expense rules introduced for the 2010 general election are driving political parties in the wrong direction.

To …

Posted in Election law and Op-eds | Also tagged david heath and election expenses | 5 Comments

Clegg: Governing for the long term

By The Voice | Fri 10th September 2010 - 11:57 am

Nick Clegg gave the following speech to the Institute for Government yesterday:

Successful governments require a number of ingredients: strong leadership, public support, dedicated ministers, and a good dose of luck, to name but a few.

But above all they need a clear sense of purpose.

When governments lose sight of their overriding purpose for being in power, the glue that holds them together dissolves. We saw this in the latter years of Labour’s time in office. A directionless government, without the underpinning of a clear purpose, inevitably ended in factionalism, intrigue and bankruptcy.

This is a mistake we will not repeat. In my speech …

Posted in News | Also tagged benjamin disraeli, chris mullin, david cameron, david willetts, janet andersen, mullin and tony blair | 4 Comments

Lib Dems on child detention: read our lips, it will be ended

By Stephen Tall | Thu 9th September 2010 - 11:58 am

The Guardian today carries a story, Government climbdown on detention of children in immigration centres, which — if it were accurate — would have Lib Dems hopping mad. Thankfully, it’s not accurate.

It was six weeks ago, at his first acting stint at Prime Minister’s Questions, that Nick Clegg formally announced that (as per the Lib Dem manifesto and Coalition agreement) the practise of child detention would end:

It was simply a moral outrage that last year the Labour government imprisoned, behind bars, 1,000 children who were innocent of any wrongdoing whatsoever. This coalition government will once again restore a

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Posted in News | Also tagged caron lindsay, child detention, immigration and the guardian | 10 Comments

BBC: Clegg seeks to calm public ‘anxiety’ over spending cuts

By The Voice | Thu 9th September 2010 - 9:35 am

The BBC reports:

Nick Clegg has sought to calm fears over the impact of spending cuts, insisting they will be spread over four years and not implemented immediately.

The deputy prime minister told the BBC he understood “people’s anxieties” about October’s spending review, likely to see departmental budgets cut by 25%.

But it was wrong to say a “Sword of Damocles” would fall overnight and cuts would be spread out until 2015.

He said extra financial support would be available to vulnerable areas.

You can listen to Nick’s interview with John Humphrys on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme here.

If you’re lucky, and listen …

Posted in News | Also tagged john humphrys | 18 Comments

Guardian verdict on voting reform: “Mr Clegg spoke for progress; Mr Straw for reaction.”

By Stephen Tall | Tue 7th September 2010 - 10:15 am

The Guardian has not always been kind to the Coalition since its formation; still less to the Lib Dems. But its stinging rebuke to Labour’s “opposition for opposition’s sake” — with its attempt last night cynically to torpedo the Lib/Con government’s electoral reform measures — might perhaps give the new party leader pause for thought.

In the topsy-turvy world of Coalition politics, two parties which do not support the alternative vote last night voted to endorse a referendum on it; while the party which pledged to introduce it in its manifesto decided to jettison that promise.

It was an irony …

Posted in News | Also tagged alastair campbell, alternative vote, electoral reform, jack straw and the guardian | 17 Comments

Clegg on AV referendum bill: “We must make the system fair. We must put people back in charge.”

By Stephen Tall | Tue 7th September 2010 - 9:28 am

The BBC reports:

Plans to change the way MPs are elected have cleared the first Commons hurdle. A bill introducing a referendum on changing the voting system, changes to constituency boundaries and fewer MPs, was backed by 328 votes to 269.

Labour says the changes would affect Labour-supporting areas and said the bill was “political skulduggery”. Tory opponents of the referendum said it could cost £100m but deputy PM Nick Clegg said it would restore “people’s faith in the way they elect their MPs”.

Despite criticism, the bill passed with a majority of 59 and a Labour bid to kill it off

…

Posted in News and Parliament | Also tagged alternative vote, electoral reform and house of commons | 21 Comments

LibLink: Nick Clegg & David Cameron – We will not budge on voting reforms

By NewsHound | Sun 5th September 2010 - 1:14 pm

Over at the Sunday Telegraph, David Cameron and Nick Clegg have jointly penned an article marking the start of the new political year by re-asserting the Coalition’s determination to reform British politics. Here’s an excerpt:

We came together to change our country for the better in every way. And as we go about fixing our economy, society and political system, our government’s purpose will be to make two major shifts in our national life.

First, our decisions will be taken with eyes fixed firmly on the long-term. This is a horizon shift for government, moving away from short-term obsessions towards investment in

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Posted in LibLink | Also tagged david cameron | 10 Comments

Tributes pour in for Sir Cyril Smith

By Stephen Tall | Sat 4th September 2010 - 12:13 pm

Lib Dem Voice reported yesterday the sad passing of Sir Cyril Smith, one of the party’s best-known figures, who served as Rochdale’s MP for two decades.

Tributes have been pouring in as a mark of appreciation for Cyril’s life. Nick Clegg issued the following statement:

“Cyril Smith was a larger-than-life character and one of the most recognisable and likeable politicians of his day. I am deeply saddened to hear the news of his death today, and offer my sincere condolences to his family and friends.

“Everybody in Rochdale knew him not only as their MP but also as a friend. He

…

Posted in Obituaries | Also tagged chris rennard, cyril smith and tim farron | 3 Comments

Nick Clegg won’t keep profits from second home sale

By Helen Duffett | Fri 3rd September 2010 - 4:08 pm

Nick Clegg has confirmed that he is selling his constituency home, and will return any profit to the taxpayer – as promised earlier this year.

From the Press Association:

The Lib Dem leader, who has been the MP for the constituency since 2005, has referred to the house in Sheffield as “modest” and revealed he had bought it in a “complete state of disrepair”.

Defending his expenses claims in respect of the house, he told the BBC’s Andrew Neil in April: “I think, unlike almost everybody else, I have said very clearly and very openly that my approach to this is

…

Posted in News | Also tagged mps expenses | 8 Comments

Nick Clegg writes about his visit to Afghanistan and Pakistan

By The Voice | Thu 2nd September 2010 - 4:54 pm

In an email sent this afternoon, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has written about his trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Earlier this week this week I went to Afghanistan and Pakistan to see for myself the problems and challenges that those countries face. The coalition government is committed to playing our part to helping ensure that the region has a peaceful and prosperous future.

It was my second visit to our armed forces in Afghanistan, where I saw again the bravery and professionalism of our troops. Whilst the situation in the country is still difficult, I believe

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Posted in News | Also tagged afghanistan and pakistan | 1 Comment

Daniel Radcliffe on Nick Clegg: he still has the magic touch

By Stephen Tall | Thu 2nd September 2010 - 1:45 pm

Harry Potter star, actor Daniel Radcliffe, was one of the Lib Dems’ star supporters in the lead-up to the election — and it seems he’s sticking by Nick Clegg and the party in government, according to the Voice’s favourite online political read, ShowbizSpy.com:

“I’m a very big fan… I don’t agree with everything he says, but of all the party leaders, he was the one I voted for,” Daniel said. “I thought he was a great speaker and very charismatic and very statesmanlike.

“I’m glad that he is still in a prominent position in British politics because I think he

…

Posted in News | Also tagged daniel radcliffe and harry potter | 9 Comments

LibLink: Stephen Tall on how to cure Lib Dem masochism

By Helen Duffett | Tue 31st August 2010 - 8:47 pm

Stephen Tall writes today at Comment is Free that not only is it healthy to be open about disagreement within the coalition, but that it could be good for future Lib Dem – and coalition – success.

He cites the results of this week’s Lib Dem Voice survey, in which 84% of respondents still support the coalition partnership between the Lib Dems and Conservatives – yet just 17% believe it will be good for the party’s prospects at the next general election.

Far from being taken for a ride by the Tories or being carried away by power-hunger, as …

Posted in LibLink | Also tagged coalition and stephen tall | 6 Comments

LDV survey: 96% of Lib Dem members back AV – but majority with “no real enthusiasm”

By Stephen Tall | Tue 31st August 2010 - 7:45 am

Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum to discover what Lib Dem members think of a variety of key issues, and what you make of the Lib Dems’ and Government’s performance to date. Almost 600 party members have responded, and we’re currently publishing the full results of our survey.

Today we’re looking at the Alternative Vote, the measure of electoral reform the Conservatives conceded in their ‘final offer‘ to the Lib Dems to secure the Coalition agreement. A preferential system of voting (in which the public can, if they choose, rank the candidates in order), AV is not …

Posted in LDV Members poll | Also tagged alternative vote and electoral reform | 15 Comments

Pollwatch – State of the Leaders: how Clegg and Cameron are rated by the public (Summer 2010)

By Stephen Tall | Sun 29th August 2010 - 12:45 pm

Last week, Pollwatch looked at the state of the parties in July and August; today it’s the turn of the coalition government leaders.

As with all polls, what follows comes with caveats. Only two polling companies – YouGov and Mori – this past month asked questions specifically to find out the public’s views of the Lib Dem and Tory party leaders. (Harriet Harman’s performance as Labour leader is not being measured). And each asks variants on the basic question – do you think Clegg/Cameron are doing a good job – to come up with their figures, so comparison ain’t easy. …

Posted in Polls | Also tagged david cameron and featured | 9 Comments

Liblink: Nick Clegg on fairness, the Budget and the IFS report

By NewsHound | Thu 26th August 2010 - 9:53 am

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, writing in today’s Financial Times (free registration required), champions the government’s commitment to fairness and explains why he believes yesterday’s IFS report is asking the wrong questions.

Fairness is about every child getting the chance they deserve, regardless of their background. Poverty and deprivation matter enormously but fairness also demands that what counts is not the school you went to, the jobs your parents did, or the colour of your skin but your ability to move beyond the circumstances of your birth.

…there is a bigger problem with the analysis: it measures the impact of

…

Posted in LibLink | Also tagged budget 2010 and institute for fiscal studies | 40 Comments

LibLink: James Graham – Lib Dems must agree to publicly disagree

By NewsHound | Tue 24th August 2010 - 4:29 pm

Over at The Guardian’s Comment is Free website, Lib Dem blogger James Graham argues that Nick Clegg needs to admit the party’s economic differences with the Tories in public – the alternative, he warns, is that the Coalition will become rudderless. Here’s an excerpt:

That the government is embarking on a programme of deep cuts is not in question; but nobody seems to be able to explain what it is all for. The coalition can’t explain because, frankly, the coalition can’t agree. That’s why the government’s “vision” has been dominated by empty flannel such as the “big society”, which can

…

Posted in LibLink | Also tagged james graham | 46 Comments

BBC: Nick Clegg hails England’s ‘unbeatable’ World Cup bid

By The Voice | Mon 23rd August 2010 - 5:18 pm

The BBC reports:

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has told Fifa inspectors England’s bid for the 2018 World Cup is “unbeatable”. The Fifa delegation, which will write a report on England’s bid to host the World Cup, began their four-day visit with a reception at Downing Street. Mr Clegg said: “I believe this is an exceptionally strong, unbeatable bid. We in this government believe in it, we hope that you will believe in it.”

You can see Nick welcome the Fifa delegation here:

Posted in News | Also tagged fifa and football | 11 Comments

Kennedy defection rumours – another reason journalists are losing the public’s trust

By Stephen Tall | Sun 22nd August 2010 - 2:28 pm

So today, at last, the news media is finally reporting the pretty unsurprising news that Charles Kennedy, leader of the Lib Dems from 1999 to 2006, is not leaving the Lib Dems in 2010.

Now it is of course the silly season, and we can easily write off this journalistic confection as mere desperation to fill some column inches / dead air-time. But actually I think it’s a symptom of a wider malaise in political journalism, its ‘tabloidisation’.

How an unsourced rumour went viral

Let’s go back to Friday afternoon, when the Kennedy defection rumours started circulating, and work out how …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged charles kennedy, defections, ed miliband, featured, left futures, mark seddon and olly grender | 54 Comments

Clegg backs graduate tax in Telegraph interview

By Mark Pack | Sat 21st August 2010 - 11:10 am

Credit where credit is due, today’s Telegraph interview with Nick Clegg covers a range of substantive policy issues and gives the Deputy Prime Minister the space to give nuanced answers where the question requires them.

The biggest story is Clegg’s clear steer on a graduate tax as the way to square financial demands with the party’s dislike of tuition fees:

While David Willetts, the universities minister, said this week that it was for Lord Browne’s ongoing study to recommend increased tuition fees or a tax, Mr Clegg comes down firmly for the latter. “ children are very intimidated by levels of

…

Posted in News | Also tagged daily telegraph, david willetts, graduate tax, higher education, lord browne, philip green, simon hughes, trident, tuition fees and universities | 3 Comments

“The Liberal Democrats aren’t a sort of glorified form of the Electoral Reform Society”

By Mark Pack | Fri 20th August 2010 - 3:21 pm

So says Nick Clegg in an interview for Radio 4’s Westminster Hour.

His underlying point is a good one – the coalition isn’t a single-issue coalition which is about AV and nothing else. And, as James Graham points out, the Electoral Reform Society isn’t a sort of glorified from of the Liberal Democrats either.

However, Nick Clegg does make the point at some length in the interview – “The Liberal Democrats aren’t a sort of glorified form of the Electoral Reform Society”, “I wouldn’t have stood for the leadership of the Lib Dems if I thought the only sole purpose in …

Posted in News | Also tagged electoral reform, electoral reform society, james graham and westminster hour | 36 Comments

Clegg on independence and opinion polls

By Iain Roberts | Fri 20th August 2010 - 12:42 pm

Nick Clegg has recorded an interview for the BBC’s Westminster Hour on Sunday about the challenges facing the Lib Dems.

According to the BBC story, Clegg reaffirmed the blindingly obvious – that the Lib Dems are, and will remain, an independent party fighting elections against the Conservatives.

On poll ratings, Clegg says

“I think it is one of the oldest rules in politics that parties in government… tend to get a dip in their popularity.”

“Do I think we are going to be able to defy those rules of gravity at a time we are taking very difficult decisions on deficit

…

Posted in News | 16 Comments

Who is who behind the scenes in the coalition?

By Mark Pack | Wed 18th August 2010 - 11:07 pm

Today’s Guardian has a pretty decent go at covering who the key advisers are, on both the Liberal Democrat and Conservative side, how they are working together, who talks to who and so on.

The piece has been praised by others today, but I only say “pretty decent” because it doesn’t mention Alison Suttie. Talking about Lib Dem advisers without mentioning her is a bit like talking about Lib Dem MPs without mentioning Vince or my diet without mentioning chocolate. Previously for Ming Campbell and now for Nick Clegg she’s played an absolutely key role in a deputy chief of …

Posted in News | Also tagged alison suttie, coalition, jonny oates and the guardian | 5 Comments

LibLink: Nick Clegg – Judge us on five years, not 100 days

By NewsHound | Wed 18th August 2010 - 8:45 pm

Over at The Observer at the weekend, Nick Clegg anticipated this week’s Coalition anniversary with an article setting out some of the Government’s achievements to date, but stressing that the Lib Dems and our Conservative partners are in it for the long haul:

A coalition can only work if it is upfront about the differences between the two parties and explicit about the partnership it is seeking to create. It requires collective decision-making and a high level of candour as two different parties seek to govern together. … our painstakingly negotiated programme for coalition government all about a five-year plan

…

Posted in LibLink | 16 Comments

LibLink: Nick Clegg – My vision for a new political map and voting system

By NewsHound | Tue 17th August 2010 - 7:45 pm

Acting Prime Minister… are we allowed to call him that? No, okay then: Holding the Fort Prime Minister Nick Clegg has an article in today’s London Evening Standard setting out how he thinks the way in which people vote can be improved by the next general election, in 2015.

He looks at three issues. First, Nick notes the current unfairness that unequal constituency sizes mean that the votes of 87,000 voters in the East Ham constituency are worth less than the 66,000 voters living 10 miles away in Islington North: “So, if you live in Islington, your voice counts for more.” …

Posted in LibLink | Also tagged alternative vote, electoral reform, electoral registration, evening standard and local government boundary commission | 34 Comments

Monday will be the day of high drama (or anti-climax) at party conference

By Mark Pack | Mon 16th August 2010 - 10:20 am

Monday, 20th September: nuclear power, free schools and Nick Clegg’s conference speech. Drama, protest and dissension or quiet compromise, careful management and enthusiastic standing ovation?

It’s no coincidence that both potential controversies are scheduled for the same day as Clegg’s speech: in the worst case situation, all the bad news would be be concentrated on the one day and Clegg will still get the final word (or rather, many words) on the day with his speech coming after the possible flashpoints*.

However, it’s unlikely to come to that as the two motions are carefully worded. Nuclear power gets a mention in the …

Posted in Conference | Also tagged academies and nuclear power | 4 Comments

Nick’s minding the shop – what are the papers saying?

By Iain Roberts | Mon 16th August 2010 - 8:20 am

David Cameron is on holiday so Nick Clegg, as Deputy Prime Minister, is minding the shop.

Most of the papers want to find an angle that rains on the Lib Dem parade and does Nick down. The problem is, none of them can agree on which invented line to take.

The Guardian wants to portray Nick Clegg as about to actually become Prime Minister and snubbed that he isn’t.

It is the most power a liberal politician has had since the 1920s, although Nick Clegg’s hopes of becoming only the second liberal politician in almost a century to run the country

…

Posted in News | Also tagged deputy prime minister | 38 Comments

LibLink… Shirley Williams on the coalition: Not one bed – two beds

By Helen Duffett | Sat 14th August 2010 - 4:50 pm

The Guardian today has an interview with Shirley Williams, who at 80, continues to work full-time and is active in questioning the coalition government’s stance on academies, health and Trident:

If you give up what you most care about you start dying. It doesn’t matter what age.

Debate within the coalition on the key issues is a positive thing, insists Williams:

What we have to do is get as much as one possibly can of what Lib Dems believe into the coalition programme. It’s no good simply saying our role is to say no to everything.

Williams admits her surprise that the Liberal Democrats, of whom she was a founder, formed a coalition with the Conservative Party.

Posted in LibLink | Also tagged academies, coalition, ken clarke, NHS, shirley williams and trident | 8 Comments

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Tag Archives: nick clegg

Clegg on the “profound effect” of fixed-term Parliaments

Dear Nick Clegg…

Clegg: Governing for the long term

Lib Dems on child detention: read our lips, it will be ended

BBC: Clegg seeks to calm public ‘anxiety’ over spending cuts

Guardian verdict on voting reform: “Mr Clegg spoke for progress; Mr Straw for reaction.”

Clegg on AV referendum bill: “We must make the system fair. We must put people back in charge.”

LibLink: Nick Clegg & David Cameron – We will not budge on voting reforms

Tributes pour in for Sir Cyril Smith

Nick Clegg won’t keep profits from second home sale

Nick Clegg writes about his visit to Afghanistan and Pakistan

Daniel Radcliffe on Nick Clegg: he still has the magic touch

LibLink: Stephen Tall on how to cure Lib Dem masochism

LDV survey: 96% of Lib Dem members back AV – but majority with “no real enthusiasm”

Pollwatch – State of the Leaders: how Clegg and Cameron are rated by the public (Summer 2010)

Liblink: Nick Clegg on fairness, the Budget and the IFS report

LibLink: James Graham – Lib Dems must agree to publicly disagree

BBC: Nick Clegg hails England’s ‘unbeatable’ World Cup bid

Kennedy defection rumours – another reason journalists are losing the public’s trust

How an unsourced rumour went viral

Clegg backs graduate tax in Telegraph interview

“The Liberal Democrats aren’t a sort of glorified form of the Electoral Reform Society”

Clegg on independence and opinion polls

Who is who behind the scenes in the coalition?

LibLink: Nick Clegg – Judge us on five years, not 100 days

LibLink: Nick Clegg – My vision for a new political map and voting system

Monday will be the day of high drama (or anti-climax) at party conference

Nick’s minding the shop – what are the papers saying?

LibLink… Shirley Williams on the coalition: Not one bed – two beds

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Josh Babarinde writes…The Lib Dem Summer of Strategy

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How an unsourced rumour went viral

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