[IMG: Caron and Shirley] It's International Women's Day today and on Twitter, there's been an #inspiredby meme on Twitter where we have to say which women have inspired us. I went a bit mad, as you can see from my Twitter feed. I've been lucky enough to know so many fabulous women in politics from all parties that if I started writing about them now, I'd still be here this time next week. And that would just be politics. So I'm going to limit myself to just two. The first is someone who was my first political hero, ever since ...
Before the weekend is over, a couple of quick reminders about important deadlines to do with next week's Conference in Liverpool. I am ridiculously excited about heading back to Liverpool. I've been there twice before in my life. The first time was almost 30 years ago as a student. The second was in 2011 when me, my niece and my sister (who was the responsible adult accompanying us) went to see Paul McCartney perform on the very stage that Nick Clegg will be speaking on next weekend. No pressure on him, then. If you are interested, you can read all ...
After Devon, Bedfordshire and North Lincolnshire, naturally comes East Sussex.
In his Observer column today Nick Cohen writes about the scandal of the BBC's sacking of Meirion Jones and Liz MacKean, the two journalists who made the Panorama programme about Newsnight's abandonment of its investigation into Jimmy Savile. Not only that, writes Cohen: BBC managers have shifted Tom Giles, the editor of Panorama, out of news. Peter Horrocks, an executive who insisted throughout the scandal that the BBC must behave ethically, announced last September that he was resigning to "find new challenges". Clive Edwards, who as commissioning editor for current affairs oversaw the Panorama documentary, was demoted. The television trade ...
[IMG: Willie Rennie - Some rights reserved by Liberal Democrats] Herald columnist Ian Macwhirter is not known for writing nice things about Liberal Democrats. In fact, I think it actually causes him pain to do so. It is always welcome when someone who is not your biggest fan says nice things about you. He was very complimentary about Willie Rennie the other day. As someone pointed out on my Facebook when I posted this originally, "All Power to.... is not the most civil-liberties friendly headline, but it's appreciated nonetheless. As James Baker wrote a few weeks ago, the Scottish Government ...
Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 414th weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere ... Featuring the seven most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (1 – 7 March, 2015), together with a hand-picked quintet, you might otherwise have missed. Don't forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox — just click here — ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging. As ever, let's start with the most popular post, and work our way down: 1. Lib Dem poll ratings: why ...
Sun 8th
18:59
Nigel Farage and the Electoral Commission - "He doesn't like it up him, Mr Mainwaring!"
"The Electoral Commission is failing in all its key duties" says @Nigel_Farage http://t.co/kTs1AX0BB0 — UKIP (@UKIP) March 7, 2015It seems that UKIP policy is now to abolish the Electoral Commission, following Our Nigel's speech in Torquay yesterday. Apparently, it is the Electoral Commission that is responsible for the fall in the numbers on the electoral register, and it is failing to do its job in terms of ruling out joke or spoiler parties. Perhaps Nigel should check on its remit in the first instance. Electoral registration is handled by local government - is that to be abolished too, Nigel? - ...
No respectable publication seems to be able to interview any senior male Liberal Democrat these days without asking about their leadership ambitions. The Independent on Sunday was no different but it was slightly irritating that it had to spend half the article writing about a contest that hasn't even been called yet. To be fair, they are doing it with Tories and Labour too, although not to the same extent. There was a chat on Pienaar's Politics this morning comparing Yvette Cooper and Theresa May for example. Anyway, Norman gave that sort of very diplomatic reply which he can do ...
Here are the latest national voting intention figures from each of the main pollsters. To put the numbers into longer context, take a look at my database of polling figures going back to 1945, which is updated quarterly. Polling company Con Lab LibDem UKIP Green Con lead Fieldwork Method ComRes 32% 34% 7% 16% 4% -2% 11-12/2 Online ComRes 34% 32% 8% 13% 6% 2% 22-23/2 Phone ICM 36% 32% 10% 9% 7% 4% 13-15/2 Phone Ashcroft 34% 31% 7% 14% 7% 3% 27-1/3 Phone MORI 34% 36% 6% 9% 7% -2% 8-10/2 Phone Opinium 34% 34% 8% 14% 7% ...
Sun 8th
15:30
Jo Swinson on media coverage of pregnant women, sexism and having to ask to get ministerial job
On Friday, Jo Swinson spoke at a training day for women run by Omnicom UK, which Media Week reported. She gave a bit of an insight into how you get a ministerial job in, at least, our party. I have to say I was surprised: It took Swinson a long time to realise that she had to ask to become a minister. "I thought I'd do a good job and then I'd get promoted," she said. "It took me a while to realise I had to go and make the case." I'd like to know a bit more about this ...
[IMG: 7 ver 4 full] Many thanks to the 16,300 visitors who dropped by Lib Dem Voice this week. Here's our 7 most-read posts... Clegg: I'll take Cameron's place and defend government's record if he's too important to take part in the debates (146 comments) by Caron Lindsay Ashcroft polls predict SNP gains – including Bob Smith and Charles Kennedy's seats – but don't panic yet (60 comments) by Caron Lindsay What's your funniest canvassing story? (64 comments) by Caron Lindsay "Uncontrolled mass immigration", Nigel? You must be joking (106 comments) by Caron Lindsay Money saving expert Martin Lewis on ...
So, we had some news last night that Ed Miliband wants to bring in rules to organise and regulate General Election leaders' debates. For the avoidance of doubt, here's what the article says: The Observer has learnt that a Labour government, in a significant constitutional move, would put the requirement to stage "fair and impartial leaders' debates" on a statutory footing. The new system would work on similar lines to the current rules for planning the number, length and timing of party political broadcasts, under which parties are consulted but not given the power to stop them happening. This could ...
More comedy genius from Australia's Clarke and Dawe:
If Paul Burstow says "enjoying" then enjoying it is... Enjoying the games at the Sutton festival of colours. pic.twitter.com/BuNOcvcrfF — Paul Burstow MP (@PaulBurstow) March 7, 2015
One particularly satisfying piece of news in the last week is that Jo Swinson and Nick Clegg have forced the Tories to agree to transparency on equal pay between men and women. 45 years after the passing of the Equal Pay Act, women still earn on average almost 10% less than their male colleagues for doing the same job. Now, after a voluntary scheme saw only five companies publish details of men and women's pay in their company, an amendment to the Small Business Bill will make the reporting mandatory, with a potential £5000 penalty (as well as the bad ...
[IMG: letbartlet] One thought that struck me while reading this Guardian piece on Ed Miliband was that it must be tough to be really into snooker when you're a politician. The World Championship takes place at the same time every year – the two weeks leading up to the May day Bank Holiday – that the electoral calendar decrees as a politician's busiest time in the run up to elections on the first Thursday in May. It's very hard to find the time to sit down and watch a match from the Crucible when there are interviews to be given, ...
[IMG: 8020758086_fc194a9c87_n] In today's Observer Sir Hugh Orde argues that the cuts to police funding being proposed by the Conservatives for after the election, layered on top of the cuts that have already happened, put the ability of the police to fulfil their basic functions at risk. He argues that the police force is near a 'tipping point'. No doubt someone somewhere in the bowels of Conservative HQ is crafting a rebuttal that will argue this is special pleading from a high profile representative of an interest group, seeking to make a splash on his way out. Or something like ...
Sun 8th
11:05Paddy to broadcasters: Let Nick into third debate. He'll debate Miliband if Cameron refuses
Paddy Ashdown has followed up his no-nonsense appearance on the Today programme, in which he said that if Cameron wouldn't debate Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg would, with a letter to the Chair of the committee of the broadcasters who are organising the events. He said that the debates were here to stay, that anyone with a record in government to defend should be present in all debates and that Nick should be in the third debate anyway, but should debate Miliband if Cameron doesn't turn up. If Cameron now takes part, he looks like he's been dragged there. If he ...
From the final episode of Yes Minister (before it metamorphosed into Yes Prime Minister): SIR HUMPHREY: Well, Minister, it's not my place, but on previous occasions the generally acceptable answer has been: "While one does not seek the office, one has pledged oneself to the service of one's country, and if one's friends were to persuade one that that was the best way one could serve, one might reluctantly have to accept the responsibility whatever one's own private wishes might be. HACKER [Hurriedly scribbling in his notebook]: "...private wishes might be". Yes, I think I've got that!It is hard not ...
The delayed completion of the new Link Road from Switch Island to Thornton plods on but tarmac has started to go down at the emerging junction with Brickwall Lane in Sefton Village. [IMG: IMG_3870] Click on the photo to enlarge it
Inheritance tax cuts for millionaires Scrapping help with housing costs for young peopleWeakening arrest warrants for people who have fled overseasFiring workers at will, without any reasons givenRegional pay penalising public sector workers outside London and the South East The Snoopers' CharterDitching the Human Rights ActWeakening the protections in the Equalities ActRenewing Trident in this ParliamentCutting investment in green energyNation-wide immigration checks on all new tenants and lodgers Thanks to Mark Pack. His full list (including England-only measures) is here.
Willie Rennie doesn't have a fancy video, but he this is his message for International Women's Day. Liberals across the world are driven by an ambition to see a fairer, more equal society. The bedrock of which must be equality of opportunity. I'm proud that Liberal Democrats have used the responsibility of Government to drive our ambition of equality even further forward. Shared parental leave, free childcare and flexible working are all measures taken forward by Liberal Democrats which will enable more women to have the equality of opportunity they need to get on in life. But we still have ...
According to the Observer, Ed Miliband has promised that he will legislate to ensure that live television debates become permanent features of general election campaigns. In this way he hopes to prevent politicians blocking them for their own self-interest. Something tells me that he has not thought this through. The first question is why do Labour think that this sort of legislation is more important than laws to reform housing, the health service, tackle tax dodging or a whole range of other issues that matter to people? The second, is does he really believe that this will win him votes? ...
New from the Deputy Prime Minister's office:
Late in his life, John Betjeman recorded four albums of his poetry with musical accompaniment. The first of these, Banana Blush, was released in 1974. Roy Wilkinson wrote about it back in 2006: On its release, Banana Blush was well received, with critics praising its "sumptuous musical accompaniments". Over the four albums, Parker deployed subtly distinctive instrumentation - viols, euphonium, cornet and multi-tracked vari-tuned piano. On Late Flowering Love, the rock session guitarists took Betjeman into new realms - the intro to The Licorice Fields at Pontefract sounds just like the Velvet Underground. So perhaps it's not surprising that, when ...
After writing about that WebRoots report the other day, I had the feeling I'd seen that attitude to security somewhere before. Then I remembered where... "Well, you've got a sign that says it's secure, so it must be safe."
Sun 8th
09:00
How did we end up in a situation in which the SNP are the only political party with cause for real o...
After the Scottish referendum had been lost by the nationalists on September 18th of last year, you would never have thought that sitting here in early March of 2015, the SNP would be the only party in Britain that had any right to feel truly good about itself. How did this happen? I should hasten to add that the SNP aren't the only party that does feel good about itself, but we'll get to that. Let's start with Labour. After a bad 2014 autumn conference and declining poll numbers, the party that thought it would inherit government this time round ...
Don't be deaf or wear headphones if you're claiming benefits seems to be the moral of this story (tags: ) 10 Radical Reforms Proposed By Green Party Members - several of these I like (tags: ) Social housing tenants banned from using garden in Tower Bridge luxury development (tags: ) Top female scientists at Yorkshire Museum (tags: ) Triggering early elections under FTPA simple, yet so many "informed" people get the criteria wrong (tags: ) Does the Home Office think you're gay enough to stay in the UK? (tags: ) HebWeb coverage of #CalderQT unaccountably misses some of @A_C_McGregor's answers. ...
Sun 8th
08:51
Ruling out coalitions may make parties feel good, but at the expense of a better politics
We all remember the economic realities of the 2010 General Election. The 'winner' was about to be handed the keys Continue reading →
Here is Nick Clegg's message for International Women's Day. The text is underneath. Malala Yousafzai, Fahma Mohamed, Emma Watson and Nimko Ali - these are just some of the incredible girls and women standing up and speaking out for gender equality around the world. They want what everyone, male or female, deserves - the right to a good quality education; the freedom to make your own choices; and the chance to live your life without fear, discrimination or violence. Despite all of the advances we've made in the last few decades - to drive progress, reduce global poverty and tackle ...
With news that councillors in Scotland are to get a 1% increase in their salaries, I have decided that, for the third time, I will not accept the increase and will instead donate my increase to the Dundee charity, the Dundee Festival Trust. In both 2009 and 2014, councillors received a pay increase and I felt it was inappropriate to accept this at a time when public services are under financial strain so I donated the money to the Dundee Festival Trust which, through its award scheme, supports community groups across Dundee. I have now advised the council's Director of ...
Spock, Vietnam's censors and vaccines Following the tragic passing of Leonard Nimoy, Matthew Yglesias pays tribute to his iconic character: Spock was not only a hero. He was a particular kind of hero. Someone the wrong kind of people would call a villain. I am always struck, as a longtime Star Trek fan, by the fact that many media [...]
