[IMG: Long Grass In Rainy Days] 18.6 Should the post of Leader become vacant before the election of a new Leader, the Acting Leader of the Parliamentary Party in the House of Commons and the President of the Party shall jointly assume the responsibilities of Leader of the Party until the new Leader is elected. Federal Liberal Democrat Constitution This afternoon, the party announced the timetable for the election of a new leader of the party. This was agreed at the first meeting of the Federal Board chaired by our new President and current co-leader of the party, Mark Pack. ...

Posted by Paul Walter on Liberal Democrat Voice

Our party President and Co-leader, Mark Pack has just commented on the leadership election timetable on his blog: The Board discussed in some detail different possible options for the timetable, and we carefully considered the pros and cons of, for example, having a leadership election that took place sooner. Considerations such as wanting to get our review of last year's elections done first and also avoiding distracting key activists from the May elections were weighed against the benefits of having a new leader sooner. The close of nominations date will also be the qualifying cut-off for being able to vote ...

Posted by Web Magpie on Liberal Democrat Voice

Bob Maclennan (26th June 1936 - 18th January 2020) Photo: Andrew Page Today I discovered that my friend, one time mentor and godfather to my daughter Xanthe has passed away at the age of 83. Robert Maclennan, Lord Maclennan of Rogart (but always "Bob" to me) was the son of a gynaecologist (Sir Hector Maclennan) and a forward-thinking doctor with interests in public health (Isabel Adam), and he always spoke highly of his family and his parents' role in shaping the route he took in life. His house in Glasgow was bombed during the Blitz, something that naturally had an ...

Posted by Andrew on A Scottish Liberal

It was a bright winter's day, so I decided on a walk across muddy fields. Very muddy fields, it turned out. I caught the bus to Braybrooke and made it to the Canvas Cafe at Great Oxendon. On the way, the low sun showed up the medieval ridge and furrow to great effect and, as ever in this part of the world, the walk was often accompanied by the sound of more or less distant shotguns.

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

As the party press release says: The Liberal Democrats have today agreed the timetable to elect the next leader of the Liberal Democrats. At a meeting today of the party's Federal Board in London, the party agreed to open nominations for candidates on the 11th of May and close them on the 28th of May. The ballot will then open on the 18th of June and close on the 15th of July, after which the party will announce the next leader. In the meantime, Ed Davey MP and Party President Mark Pack will continue as joint acting leaders of the ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

The Liberal Democrats have today led tributes following the death of Lord Robert Maclennan. Lord Robert Maclennan of Rogart, known as Bob Maclennan, was the last leader of the Social Democrat Party before it merged with the Liberal Party. He then became joint interim leader of the new party. Bob Maclennan was a Member of Parliament from 1966 to 2001. Upon stepping down as MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, Bob Maclennan was elevated to the House of Lords. Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey said: It is with great sadness that we learn our friend and ...

Posted by The Voice on Liberal Democrat Voice

Should we celebrate Europe Day every May 5th? An LDV reader, John Probert (who has the rare distinction of being a remaining former councillor on Middlesex County Council) has made a suggestion along these lines. After January 31st we will still be members of the Council of Europe, who celebrate Europe Day on May 5th (EU members celebrate it on May 9th). Such a celebration would publicise the fact that we remain members of the Council of Europe, which was first suggested under such a name by Churchill in a wartime broadcast on 21st March 1943. Its Statute says: The ...

Posted by Paul Walter on Liberal Democrat Voice

[IMG: The new decade has triggered a midlife crisis] It's the 18th day of the new year and I am angry all the time. This is not like me. I am fairly laid back... The post The new decade has triggered a midlife crisis appeared first on Ambitiousmamas.

Posted by ambitiousmamas on Ambitiousmamas

It is often the case in Labour leadership contests that constitutional reform plays a role, only to disappear from the scene once the new leader is chosen. This is likely to be the case this time with Rebecca Long-Bailey's idea of having an elected upper chamber to replace the House of Lords, whether she wins or loses. This is just as well because an elected upper house is a bad idea, as I will now argue. There are many worthy criticisms of the House of Lords that could be made. It is too large, as in, there are too many ...

Posted by Nick on nicktyrone.com

In the Heat of the Night won the Oscar for Best Picture of 1967, and picked up another four: Best Actor (Rod Steiger as police chief Gillespie), Best Film Editing, Best Sound Mixing and Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. It lost Best Director to The Graduate, and also lost Best Sound Effects to The Dirty Dozen. The other Best Picture nominees were Bonnie and Clyde, Doctor Dolittle, The Graduate and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (which of course also starred Sydney Poitier). The only one I have seen (I think) is The Graduate. In IMDB ratings of ...

YouGov

The Liberal Democrats have today agreed the timetable to elect the next leader of the Liberal Democrats. At a meeting today of the party's Federal Board in London, the party agreed to open nominations for candidates on the 11th of May and close them on the 28th of May. The ballot will then open on the 18th of June and close on the 15th of July, after which the party will announce the next leader. In the meantime, Ed Davey MP and Party President Mark Pack will continue as joint acting leaders of the Liberal Democrats. Speaking after the meeting, ...

Posted by Paul Walter on Liberal Democrat Voice

The Liberal Democrats let the EU Remainers down, right from the 2016 Referendum. On Nick Clegg's recommendation the architect of our disastrous 2015 election campaign was appointed as chief of strategy for the remain campaign. The result was entirely predictable. The party then spent four years in the wilderness. A steady, but uninspiring, leadership from Vince and hard work from our local government activists saw the party slowly improve its position. In the 2019 Euro Elections the Remainers put their faith in the Lib Dems, only to be let down again at the General Election. This time a combination of ...

Posted by David Becket on Liberal Democrat Voice

A police counter-terrorist briefing document may well have been designed as "a guide to help them identify and understand the range of organisations they might come across" as they claim, but the clear impression being given is that they are seeking to smear legitimate and non-violent protest groups who are exercising their democratic rights. I am not surprised that those identified in the briefing are angry and confused. The Guardian reports that the document, which was distributed to medical staff and teachers as part of anti-extremism briefings, included Greenpeace, Peta and other non-violent groups as well as neo-Nazis. The guide, ...

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black

Responding to the Chancellor's comments today, warning manufacturers that "there will not be alignment" with the EU after Brexit, Acting leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:"Major industries across the country have time and again made clear that pan-European regulatory alignment has been a success in supporting the creation and retention of millions of jobs. "To risk all that in favour of narrow, ideological ends is a real slap in the face. It is the height of irresponsibility for which the British public will be forced to pay."Liberal Democrats will continue to oppose Brexit and hold this shambles of ...

Posted by Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democrats on Aberavon & Neath Liberal Democrats

Responding to the Government's plans to mark the UK leaving the EU on 31st of January, Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said: "The Prime Minister should be seeking to pull the country together, not blowing the public's money on inviting his mates around for a party. "The 31st isn't a day of triumph. The reality is the Conservatives have set out a reckless approach to conclude our future relationship with the EU that could see the country straight off the no-deal cliff."Liberal Democrats will continue to oppose Brexit. We believe people deserve better than a future where a Prime ...

Posted by Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democrats on Aberavon & Neath Liberal Democrats
Sat 18th
11:00

My tweets

Fri, 12:36: RT @stuartlauscmp: Former EU ambassador to South Korea Gerhard Sabathil has been named in Washington Post as the subject of German investig... Fri, 12:46: A light moment from last Saturday's sitting of the Stormont Assembly. https://t.co/C9gyz6LwOA Fri, 12:56: RT @NBedera: As a researcher who studies college sexual assault, one of the most common questions I'm asked is, "My daughter is starting co... Fri, 15:01: October 2004 books https://t.co/RKx09QJVwE Fri, 16:05: RT @SmithsonianMag: In the late 1960s, Poppy Northcutt was a return-to-Earth specialist with TRW, working on a contract with NASA on one of... Fri, 17:11: Glasgow 2024 Weekend ...

As is traditional, Liberal Democrat Voice is covering the maiden speeches of our new MPs as they happen. In Thursday's Health and Social Care debate, Munira Wilson, MP for Twickenham, made her first Commons speech: It is a pleasure—and slightly daunting—to follow so many powerful and emotive maiden speeches. I thought that the hon. Members for Luton North (Sarah Owen), for Vauxhall (Florence Eshalomi) and for Bishop Auckland (Dehenna Davison) made particularly moving speeches. It is an honour to give my maiden speech, and I am especially proud that my five-year-old daughter is in the Gallery to witness this moment. ...

Posted by The Voice on Liberal Democrat Voice

Ailbhe Rea has written a long article on the Liberal Democrats for the New Statesman. There are some interesting points about the 2019 election covered, based on reported conversations with our MPs: Personal affection for Jo Swinson, coupled with respect for her resilience: "Party figures like to joke that "you could punch her in the face" and she would merely take a breather and keep going" Scathing criticism for decisions taken under Jo's leadership – Multiple "hubristic", "stupid" decisions which went "unchallenged" The decision to support the December election is described as the first "strategic error" and that "we believed ...

Posted by Paul Walter on Liberal Democrat Voice

The old Skelmersdale Station – now long gone in the name of 1960's progress! The Liverpool Echo has the latest in what is clearly going to be a very long saga with at present an uncertain outcome – see link below:-

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton Focus

 

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