How brilliant was it at 3 whatever it was in the morning of 1st December when Sarah Olney was declared the MP for Richmond Park? She certainly deserves to be acclaimed as one of this year's inspiring Lib Dem women. Her speech at the count, full of liberal principle, got many of us in the gut. Last week, she spoke for the party in the International Women's Day Debate in the Commons. Here is her speech in full: May I say how pleased I am to represent the Liberal Democrats in this debate on International Women's Day, as the 454th ...
On International Women's Day I want to make a post dedicated to all the 'nasty' women in my life who have made me the nasty woman I am today. Why nasty, you may ask. Well, because that's one of the many ways the current US President has described women. Others being slobs, pigs, dogs. The [...]
One of the things I really wanted to say on this International Women's Day is that it's a day to celebrate all women, to think about the various barriers that women face across the world. Women have all sorts of different experiences and it's important that they are listened to because it's by understanding what needs to change that we make the world a better place. Quite a simple concept. It's also, for me, a simple concept that International Women's Day is for everyone who identifies as a woman. No exceptions. I say that because Women's Hour presenter Jenni Murray ...
Jennie Rigg is one of my favourite people on the planet. The former Chair of Calderdale Lib Dems is a plain-speaking, hilarious Yorkshire woman who has lit up the Lib Dem end of the blogosphere for getting on for a decade. She is one of these people who can express really complicated concepts that tie some up in knots in a way that the reader can really relate to. She comments regularly on here and is very good at explaining the barriers that women and people of colour and other marginalised groups face. She made a brilliant speech at Conference ...
Wed 8th
19:55
Business rates: a measly and mean Budget that could send some Ludlow retailers to the wall
This was a measly and mean budget for small businesses. For towns like Ludlow, there is no cheer at all from the Budget statement today. In recent days, there were growing hopes the Chancellor would do act to ease the rates burden on business, especially the retail sector. Philip Hammond made three announcements on business rates and none of them pass muster. Today's budget will lead to many local independent businesses going to the wall. I really fear we are set to lose several of the businesses that attract people to Ludlow's town centre. Like many market towns, our pubs ...
On this International Women's Day, we are celebrating some inspiring Lib Dem Women. Since being selected PPC for Lewes, which requires just a 1% swing to take it back from the Tories, Kelly-Marie Blundell has been a campaigning force, increasing the local membership, helping to elect four new Lib Dem councillors in by-elections, campaigning against Brexit and just this Saturday collecting an impressive 700 signatures for the rights of resident EU citizens. Kelly-Marie is an inveterate letter writer, with letters appearing regularly in the i Paper and the Evening Standard, and has campaigned on disability and welfare issues for many ...
Monday: Today's lesson: when @BBCR4Feedback call an hour early and say they can call back in an hour... they aren't going to call back. How did we get to there? Well, the usual start to the week - listening to Daddy Richard shout at the radio - was interrupted by a moment of shocked silence when, as he tweeted, THIS happened: "Jaw dropping moment as John Humphreys asks: doesn't it muddy the waters if we call far right terrorist murder of Jo Cox "terrorism" #r4today" Life in the Today Programme goldfish bowl... That generated... a fair number of retweets and ...
For the first time in our history, women are at the helm of all three state parties and the federal party. Of course, Sal Brinton is our federal party President. I am constantly in awe of her seemingly endless patience as she has to navigate all the different interest groups in the party and bring them all together to agree on a way forward. I shudder to think how many hundreds of thousands of miles she has travelled in her two an a bit years as President through a General Election, Welsh and Scottish elections and visiting every by-election. She ...
The British Unicorn Party wanted to abolish BBC South East Today, soared to four group members on Facebook and its founder issued death threats to magistrates.
Happy International Women's Day! What is there not to celebrate in a day designed to showcase what women have done, are doing, and are capable of? Answer: the fact that missing from the picture is one very important element in the welfare of women.When one looks at the welfare of any group in society, you cannot look at them in isolation. You can highlight problems, injustices and unfairnesses, but if you're looking for solutions it's important not to plump for options that just replace one problem with another.I have always been appalled at the way women have been treated as ...
[IMG: Budget] ALDC and our colleagues at the LGA Lib Dems and LDHQ have prepared a number of resources for members to use immediately in the wake of today's budget. ONLINE BBC at a glance guide Comments on Social Care by Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson Comments on school Funding from Cllr Liz Green Local Gov coverage The whole [...]
[IMG: The LGA Lib Dems support Liberal Democrat council groups across England & Wales] Commenting on the announcement in the Budget over social care funding, Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, LGA Liberal Democrat Group Leader, said: "There is still a funding gap of £1 billion next year for adult social care. It shows that Liberal Democrats across the country are right to keep campaigning on the issue. "But this U-turn by [...]
[IMG: The LGA Lib Dems support Liberal Democrat council groups across England & Wales] Commenting on the news about funding for more free schools, Cllr Liz Green, LGA Lib Dem Education Spokesperson, said: "This 'Brexit Black-hole' Budget means less money for the NHS and yet sees an increase in spending for grammar schools which will only widen the gap in the quality of our education system and just goes [...]
Today on International Women's Day, we are celebrating some fantastic Lib Dem Women. Remember back in 2015 after that devastating General Election when we all just wanted to hide under our duvets and make the next five years go away? Well, Elaine Bagshaw didn't have time to do that, because she had to fly the Lib Dem flag in the Tower Hamlets mayoral by-election caused by the disqualification of the previous incumbent. She made progress in that election and since then she has led her local party from strength to strength. As the candidate for Poplar and Limehouse, she is ...
[IMG: Scottish conference] Our Scottish Liberal Democrat Conference kicks off with less than eight weeks (55 days) to go to polling day in the council elections. Experienced campaigners and ASLDC development officers will be on hand, throughout conference, to go through any issues you may have with your campaign plan. Come along to the ASLDC stall in the [...]
I'm not too upset that the House of Lords failed yesterday to support a Liberal Democrat amendment that, if and when the government has concluded the Brexit negotiations there should be a referendum on whether or not to accept the result. A second referendum has a certain symmetry and logic to it but there can be no guarantee that a second one would be conducted with any more veracity, or reported any more fairly, than the first. There could also be an even greater temptation for those who wish to strike a blow against the complacent establishment to cast a ...
[IMG: Princes Parade] Like many local residents, I wasshocked to see in the papers that a Shepway District Councillor has called those campaigning against the development of Princes Parade "out of touch". Those campaigning against the development of Princes Parade are doing an excellent job and deserve to be supported, not ignored. I oppose the development of Princes Parade. I entirely agree with Historic England who have slammed the development plans as completely unacceptable near the mouth to the historic Royal Military Canal. Our Councillors shouldn't be calling local people "out of touch". It seems to me they are out ...
As Kirsten pointed out earlier, women do the lion's share of unpaid caring work. In Scotland, Engender, an organisation dedicated to advancing the cause of gender equality, is concentrating this International Wonen's Day and throughout 2017, on that work that women do that often doesn't get credited or appreciated. Today they have been asking women to tell others about that unrecognised work using the hashtag #MakingWorkVisible. Why not join in? I thought today was going to be a quiet day until I filled in their survey and realised how much of my day was going to be spent looking after ...
Liverpool Town Hall which will not be the heart of intelligent discourse as we approach our budget meeting later on Wednesday afternoon Today is Liverpool Council's budget day. I will be moving a resolution on behalf of the Liberal Democrat ... Continue reading →
Liberal Democrats have been reacting to Philip Hammond's budget which seems to do not much more than stoke the balance in favour of massive corporates as opposed to small business and give extra money to Tory hobby-horses like free schools in England. Exchequer spokesman Susan Kramer highlighted how the Tories had broken their manifesto promise by raising national insurance for the self-employed: "This is a tax on builders, taxi drivers and window cleaners, some of Britain's hardest working people. This hits the gig economy where people are already insecure and facing rising prices and job uncertainty. And on International Women's ...
Wed 8th
14:45
LibLink: Miriam Gonzalez Durantez: I don't want my 3 sons to grow up in a world where girls feel sec...
Another Lib Dem woman who inspires many – in fact, she makes a mission of Inspiring Women is Miriam Gonzalez Durantez. She has written for the Telegraph about the need for men and women to work together to make life better for the next generation of boys and girls. She outlines the threats to hard-won progress: In the US, President Donald Trump is putting into question women's reproductive rights; in Russia, laws are being considered to decriminalise some aspects of domestic violence. Just last week, a Polish MEP declared that women should earn less than men because they are "weaker, ...
Embed from Getty Images Liberal Democrats have been reacting to Philip Hammond's budget which seems to do not much more than stoke the balance in favour of massive corporates as opposed to small business and give extra money to Tory hobby-horses like free schools, In terms of the massive issues facing the country in health and social care and housing, there's not much. Liberal Democrats have been reacting to the budget. Susan Kramer highlighted how the Tories had broken their manifesto promise by raising national insurance for the self-employed: This is a tax on builders, taxi drivers and window cleaners, ...
Monday saw the 31st council budget from a Liberal/Lib Dem administration in Sutton. The budget was presented by Cllr Simon Wales, Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Resources, stating that, "Producing a budget is a team effort and I am grateful to all those who have played a part in getting us to this stage." [...]
[IMG: my-councillor] Neil Fawcett, one of our Development Officers, will be representing us at Welsh Conference this weekend. Neil will be running a stall and offering support on election law, campaigning and our services. Member or not, do come and see him. If you want to pre-book a meeting with Neil', email him: neil.fawcett@aldc.org. We are currently [...]
[IMG: Brexit survey] Portsmouth Liberal Democrats have just run a Brexit survey amongst remain-leaning groups. The survey was based on the one used in Richmond and is available as a PagePlus file and a PDF. Cllr Steve Pitt, Chair of Portsmouth Campaign Committee, said: "We wanted to see what the view was amongst remain supporters. The response has been beyond our [...]
Wed 8th
11:55Lorely Burt writes: We can't call ourselves a democracy when men monopolise public life
The theme for International Women's Day 2017 is 'Be Bold for Change' - this got me thinking about how we, as Liberal Democrats, can do our bit to help forge a better and more gender equal world. Of course, as a party we have already taken a great leap forward for the future to make sure we reflect the diversity of the country with the 'Electing Diverse MPs' motion passed almost a year ago. But as individuals what can we do to make sure that more women get involved and active in the party at every level? It was less ...
[IMG: ALDC supports Liberal Democrat candidates and campaigners across the country] ALDC - Liberal Democrat Campaigners and Councillors are looking to recruit a new intern for 6 months as part of the Campaigns and Communications Internship Programme. Campaigns and Communications Intern (paid) This is a full-time role, paid at the UK National Minimum Wage (currently £7.20 per hour for people aged 25 and over, and the [...]
Back in the late 1990s, the various local government associations for county councils, district councils and metropolitan authorities decided that it would be best to work together rather than in separate silos: so the Local Government Association was born. The principle is obvious: local government, unprotected by a written constitution and loathed by much of the press, needs to make its case with central government, which can legislate away its powers and much of its money at the drop of a hat, regardless of the consequences on services or communities. MPs know best, after all, and Whitehall knows even better ...
On a day in which we are all asked to #beboldforchange, I call on us all to fight against the disgrace that is this modern-day slave trade.Human trafficking is an issue that predominantly affects women. It is happening now, across Europe, under our noses, and we must open our eyes.Please take a look at my report and join the fight today. [IMG: No automatic alt text available.]
Obviously, the big story from last week's Northern Ireland election was the dramatic drop in support for the Unionist parties which led to them losing their minority in the Assembly (and its predecessors) for the first time ever. Rather than add to the analysis of the (Nicholas Whyte in the Irish Times is a good starting point, but there's plenty of good coverage out there), I want to look at the political centre in Northern Ireland, to follow on from my post last week. One interesting feature was that early results (based on first preference votes) didn't look too rosy ...
[IMG: 2017] We've gathered together some of the essential campaign templates for you to easily adapt for your own elections. Do let us know if there's anything else that you need and any feedback. In partnership with Election Workshop, we've produced a year-long plan full of templates and print offers. You can use the guide to set [...]
Embed from Getty Images What's not to like about Jess Phillips? She is courageous on domestic violence, she tells it like it is to Jacob Rees- Mogg, she tweets words of comfort to parents scrabbling around to find a last minute costume for World Book Day. She is simultaneously charismatic but ordinary. Jess Phillips ("Everywoman: One Woman's Truth About Speaking the Truth") and Harriet Harman ("A Woman's Work") have new books out. Both books are moving, inspiring, usually sisterly, though both MPs are not averse to a bit of tribalism in giving the Liberal Democrats a kicking. Phillips is disgusted ...
On this International Women's Day, we are celebrating some inspiring Lib Dem Women. PPC for Yeovil Daisy Benson's infectious liberalism and energy has led her to be one of the driving forces behind the Lib Dem Newbies group on Facebook. As a councillor in Reading, she was the executive member for housing and social care. She was one of the most successful early social media campaigners, recognising that it's not just a broadcast platform but a space for dialogue. Daisy is now concentrating her energies on winning back the Yeovil seat. We need her energy and ideas in Parliament. This ...
Sometimes, you go to a place supposedly of outstanding beauty and it's a bit of a disappointment. Waikiki, for example, which Ros and I were decidedly lukewarm about. And, when you've travelled 9,000 miles or so, you really don't want to be let down. A surprisingly comfortable bus took us on a three hour journey to Puerto Natales, a small town on the shore of Ultima Esperanza Fjord (yes, that's "Last Hope") and the gateway to the Torres del Paine National Park. and, whilst the journey was perfectly pleasant, our arrival into the town did not augur well. The bus ...
Wed 8th
09:00
Numbers that show Labour members are prepared to support Corbyn, even after he loses in 2020
There is a YouGov poll of Labour members out this week that is very interesting. On the straight up approval rating, the support for Corbyn amongst them is clear cut: 72% approve, 17% disapprove. When you ask if they would vote for Corbyn in a third leadership contest involving him, the numbers get a lot tighter: 52% versus 46. This likely means that while a massive majority of Labour members really like Corbyn, a significant chunk of them think he isn't getting cut through and would vote for someone else accordingly – although not enough of them to mean Corbyn ...
Today we are celebrating International Women's Day. For some, it is a chance to recognise the achievements of women in the arts, sport and science; to others it is an opportunity to highlight inequalities. I wish to do both: to celebrate the contribution women make up and down this country although that contribution causes them more inequality. I speak of caring. In the world of caring, women are indispensable. And undervalued. 58% of carers in the U.K. are women, but in relation to the number of hours worked the percentage is higher. European Parliament's Committee on Women's Rights and Gender ...
If it was not bad enough that the decision of the UK Government's to scrap housing benefit for young people is going to put thousands on the streets without support, it turns out that they have made the change without a proper impact assessment. In other words they have acted on instinct, without evidence and without fully understanding or apparently caring about the consequences. The Independent says that charities have pointed out the plan will save almost no money and could drive up homelessness, as well as disproportionately affect LGBT people or those estranged from their families. But when the ...
What conspiracy theories can tell us about politics in Greece "When assessing a populist government, it's always hard to tell whether it's just incompetence or dark designs." (tags: politics Greece ) Brexit is (maybe) the ruin of Irish whiskey ...and much else besides. (tags: ukpolitics ireland brexit eu ) Trump adviser Navarro: U.S, Germany should discuss trade outside EU Need to do your homework, I think! (tags: germany eu Uspolitics ) The Meaning of Allahu Akbar The *real* meaning, that is. (tags: islam ) The unprecedented expansion of the global middle class Especially in Asia. (tags: economics ) Donald Trump's ...
