Tag Archives: times red box

NewsHound

No love lost on the road to Brexit

By NewsHound | Fri 16th February 2018 - 11:55 am

Vince’s Valentine’s Day column for Times Red Box contrasted the consistency of the Liberal Democrats on Brexit with the split Labour and Conservative parties. He said that our party was “open to refugees.”

For some MPs, I do anticipate that the myopia of the Labour and Conservative parties could drive them away from their folds. Liberal Democrats, unsurprisingly, have a liberal policy on refugees and will welcome with open arms and an open mind anyone from a different political tradition who wants to join our party. However, many aghast rebels will retain old tribal loyalties but nonetheless choose to vote with the Liberal Democrats on Brexit issues. I welcome that too.

Beyond Westminster, we need an effort in the country to mobilise public opinion on three key points: firstly, that Brexit is not inevitable; secondly, that the best and only democratic way to stop Brexit is through a vote on the final deal; and finally, that the Government’s deal will not be better than staying in the EU. It is in this respect that Liberal Democrats are critical. None of the many groupings springing up to take on the pro-European mantle have what we can bring to the table: a young, enthused membership of 100,000 troops to campaign on the ground.

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Posted in LibLink | Also tagged and | 10 Comments
NewsHound

LibLink Layla Moran: Public school exam cheating row shows just how unlevel the playing field is

By NewsHound | Fri 1st September 2017 - 12:25 pm

Oxford West and Abingdon MP Layla Moran has been writing for Times Red Box about the exam cheating scandal and why it matters.

These are not victimless crimes. I feel especially sorry for those students whose grades were nullified. They were only doing what their teacher said and their future has now been compromised. The teachers involved should feel ashamed. There is also a wider societal impact. More people than expected gaining high grades can ultimately lead to grade inflation and then a re-banding of passes, making it harder for other pupils to gain a good result.

But there is a broader question of unfairness here. Pupils from state schools are already massively pushing up hill on that famous playing field (assuming, of course, their playing field has not been sold off to balance the books by a cash-strapped education authority).

Layla has some suggestions for action:

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Posted in News | Also tagged , and | 7 Comments
Caron Lindsay

LibLink: Alistair Carmichael: May’s legacy on immigration detention is callous and cold

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 28th July 2016 - 3:30 pm

Alistair Carmichael has written an article for the Times Red Box website in which he slams Theresa May’s record on immigration detention:

32,000 people is half the population of my home town.

He explains why immigration detention is so bad:

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Posted in LibLink | Also tagged and | 5 Comments
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    @David Allen: The "promises" you suggest would be worthless. The simple fact is that one parliament cannot bind any future parliament — that's how parliamenta...
  • Roger Billins
    I joined ULS at UCL in 1975 and the party at the same time. I am still a member 50 years on. My activism is circumscribed by the drugs I take to fight prostate ...
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    > £17bn of tax cuts to Income Tax and Fuel Duty So we are said to be proposing increased subsidy for fossil-fuels? Instead of pushing ahead with a Green t...
  • Bridget Biggar
    A great article Simon. And you are one of my dearest friends. We’ve been through those decades of activism. What would be your greatest argument for me even...
  • Mike Sammon
    A pleasant read. Well done Simon and thank you for all that you’re doing to support members as well as residents....