12 September 2025 – today’s press releases

  • GDP: Govt must scrap their growth-crashing jobs tax
  • Mandelson: Lib Dems call for Parliament to vet next US Ambassador
  • Lib Dems reveal rate of agricultural, forestry and fishing business closures is increasing

GDP: Govt must scrap their growth-crashing jobs tax

Responding to the latest GDP figures showing 0% growth for July, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

The Government talks of going full throttle on growth but the reality is they have left the handbrake on.

Their growth-crushing jobs tax risks hollowing out our high-streets and ministers’ refusal to jettison their short-sighted red lines on cutting red tape with Europe is holding back our

Posted in News, Press releases and Scotland | Tagged , , , , and | Leave a comment
Advert

ALDC by-election report, 11th September

This week, there were six by-elections, of which four had a Liberal Democrat candidate.

In Dorset, we were able to secure a convincing victory, with Reform UK and the Conservatives left trailing behind in a battle for second and third place. Congratulations to Councillor Dawn Logan and the local team for ensuring that we were able to gain this seat.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole UA, Talbot and Branksome Woods
Liberal Democrats (Dawn Logan): 910 (32.4%, -4.0)
Reform UK: 791 (28.2%, new)
Conservative: 770 (27.4%, -4.9)
Labour: 170 (6.1%, -5.7)
Green: 165 (5.9%, -6.6)

Liberal Democrats GAIN from Conservative

Turnout: 28.36%

In West Suffolk, it was a close-fought election with all five candidates polling strongly, but ultimately Reform UK secured victory. Thank you to Caroline Revitt and the local team for ensuring that we remained in third place here.

West Suffolk DC, Newmarket East
Reform UK: 343 (29.7%, new)
Conservative: 288 (25.0%, +4.1)
Liberal Democrats (Caroline Revitt): 199 (17.2%, -3.1)
Labour: 176 (15.3%, -8.3)
Green Party: 148 (12.8%, new)

Reform UK GAIN from Labour

Turnout: 28.57%

Posted in News | Tagged | 4 Comments

Discrepancies in access to adapted vehicles leaves some people housebound

Yesterday Adrian Ashton raised some questions about Carer’s Allowance.

Today I want to focus on another anomaly that affects people with disabilities and their carers, relating to access to adapted vehicles.

People of working age can apply for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). We know that the eligibility criteria for PIP is controversially under scrutiny by the Government at the moment but that is not my issue in this post. PIP is not means tested, is tax free and is meant to cover the additional expenses that a person may have because of their disability. The PIP Daily Living Allowance is paid at one of two levels depending on the needs of the applicants. The lower level is £73.90 pw and the higher level is £110.40 pw.

When someone on PIP reaches retirement age they continue to receive PIP. However if someone becomes disabled for the first time after reaching retirement age they are instead paid Attendance Allowance. Now Attendance Allowance is also not means tested, is tax free and is paid at the same rates as the PIP Daily Living Allowance.

So what’s the problem? Well it is crucially something that I have not yet mentioned. People receiving PIP get a further top-up known as the Mobility Allowance. This is paid at £29.90 at the lower level and £77.05 at the higher level, and the higher level opens access to the Motability scheme. Under the Motability scheme the higher Mobility Allowance can be used to lease a customised vehicle.

The key thing to note is that people on Attendance Allowance do not receive the Mobility Allowance so cannot access the Motability Scheme.

For example, consider two people who each suffered major injuries in a car accident which left them using a wheelchair with considerable care needs. The first was 64 at the time and was eligible for higher level PIP and could lease a wheelchair accessible vehicle through Motability at no extra cost to themselves. They can continue with PIP and Motability into old age. The second was 68 at the time of the accident and became eligible for Attendance Allowance, but did not get a vehicle and did not get an allowance towards one.

This anomaly affects fulltime carers as well as people with disabilities. If the cared-for person falls into the second category and cannot be left alone then the carer is also stuck at home without a suitable vehicle.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | Leave a comment

11 September 2025 – today’s Scottish and Welsh press releases

  • Greene: SNP Government must finally come clean on Gupta deals
  • Dwr Cymru redundancies – workers paying the price for systematic leadership failures
  • Greene challenges First Minister on “reward for failure” with public execs
  • Government cannot say whether Lochaber billet plant still on cards

Greene: SNP Government must finally come clean on Gupta deals

Ahead of SNP ministers making a statement to parliament later today, Scottish Liberal Democrat Jamie Greene MSP has urged them to “come clean” on their government’s deals with Sanjeev Gupta’s troubled business empire and taxpayer exposure.

Scottish Liberal Democrats secured a parliamentary statement from the government on Sanjeev Gupta’s business operations in Scotland.

Mr Gupta acquired the Dalzell Steelworks in a controversial back-to-back deal facilitated by the Scottish Government, exposing taxpayers to environmental clean-up costs in the event of a wider collapse. He also owns the Lochaber aluminium plant, which owes £7 million in loans to Scottish taxpayers and is also backed by hundreds of millions of pounds of Scottish Government guarantees. Years of media reporting have suggested that the accounts for both have gone unfiled.

The Scottish Government have so far refused to say whether it has obtained financial guarantees relating to the financing for the tycoon’s Scottish businesses.

Last month, a judge found that the parent group of Gupta’ GFG Alliance has 15 entities in insolvency proceedings across nine jurisdictions.

Jamie Greene said:

The SNP Government has never been upfront about its dealings with Sanjeev Gupta.

Mr Gupta’s business operations in Scotland involve hundreds of Scottish workers and multi-million-pound taxpayer-backed loans. But whenever my party has raised the latest worrying development concerning the GFG Alliance with ministers, they insist everything is rosy.

Not a single minister has ever been able to explain when the loans are likely to be paid back, whether Mr Gupta’s businesses are in breach of their deals with the government and what this could all mean for Scottish taxpayers.

As Deputy Convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Public Audit Committee, I am regularly involved in scrutinizing how the government is using public money. That task, however, is made no easier by minister after minister dodging basic questions about their relationship with Mr Gupta.

With Gupta’s business empire in the spotlight, it is time for the government to come clean with MSPs and the public about what discussions it has had with the GFG Alliance, whether taxpayers could be left picking up the pieces and, critically for how much.

Dwr Cymru redundancies – workers paying the price for systematic leadership failures

Responding to the news that Dwr Cymru will cut 500 jobs over the next two years, Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said:

Posted in News, Press releases, Scotland and Wales | Tagged , , , , and | Leave a comment

11 September 2025 – today’s Federal press releases

  • NHS waiting lists: Govt must tackle social care to end era of sky-high waiting lists
  • Davey on Mandelson sacking: Starmer must come before Parliament
  • NHS maternity payouts rise to £1.3bn as Ed Davey visits South West to discuss crisis
  • Farage stamp duty: Reform leader has “serious questions to answer”
  • Mandelson: PM must carry out full review of vetting procedures

NHS waiting lists: Govt must tackle social care to end era of sky-high waiting lists

Responding to the number of people on NHS waiting lists rising for the second month in a row to 7.4 million in July, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said:

The Government promised to go full throttle when it comes to cutting NHS waiting lists, instead they’ve gone into reverse.

The Conservatives brought the NHS to its knees, with patients often suffering tragic consequences, but far from bringing the change people are crying out for, this Labour government is just treading water.

Without fixing the underlying issues in our health service this situation will persist and patients will suffer. Only by urgently tackling the crisis in social care can we unclog the system and bring and end to this era of sky-high waiting lists.

Davey on Mandelson sacking: Starmer must come before Parliament

Responding to the news that Peter Mandelson has been sacked as the UK Ambassador to the United States, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

The Prime Minister now needs to appoint an ambassador who will stand up to Trump, not cosy up to him and his cronies.

He also needs to come before Parliament and explain why Lord Mandelson was appointed in the first place, given everything the Government knew then.

This Government seems to be lurching from one crisis to another. It desperately needs to get a grip on fixing the economy and public services so badly damaged by the Conservatives.

NHS maternity payouts rise to £1.3bn as Ed Davey visits South West to discuss crisis

NHS figures show that clinical negligence payouts for maternity rose to £1.3 billion last year, up 13% on 2023/24’s figure of £1.15 billion with total payouts hitting a record high in 2024/25.

It comes as Ed Davey visits the South West today (12th September) to discuss issues with local maternity services.

The 2024/25 NHS compensation figures found that maternity clinical negligence payouts had risen £150 million on the previous year to £1.3 billion, a 13% rise. Maternity clinical negligence payments account for 42% of all clinical negligence payments.

NHS clinical negligence payouts generally rose to a record £3.1 billion, up from £2.8 billion in 2023/24 which was also a record. It represents an 11% increase.

In April the Government announced cuts to the national Service Development Funding (SDF) for maternity services from £95m in 2024-25 to just £2m in 2025-26. The fund had been introduced following the Ockenden Review into maternity services at Shrewsbury and Telford to improve the quality of maternity care.

Posted in News and Press releases | Tagged , , , , , , , and | Leave a comment

How a simple oversight in legislation is costing the economy over £10bn a year, crippling businesses, and forcing nearly 1m unpaid carers into poverty

At least 1 in 10 of all people in the UK are unpaid carers – but over 10% of these (a growing trend, and estimated to be in the region of 1 million people by 2027) can never be fully recognised, or supported as such. This is because when unpaid carer legislation was passed, it was never assumed that an unpaid carer would separately also be self-employed or a small business owner.

Because of this oversight, none of the carer or business support services recognise they exist, and so don’t design or offer the specific types of assistance they need in comparison to other unpaid carers. As a result, this growing number of unpaid carers are twice as likely to be in poverty than any other type of carer who’s trying/needing to also remain ‘economically active’ – and their respective businesses’ productivity is at least 20% less than it would otherwise be (because the struggle to balance running a business with caring responsibilities means stalled growth, prevents the creation of new jobs, delays growth and investment plans, etc).

And unpaid care is an issue that’s increasingly affecting all businesses throughout all sectors – 600 people a day are having to leave paid employment because their unpaid caring roles are becoming unreconcilable with the needs of their employer (even after the introduction of the Carers Leave Act). This means businesses are losing the talent and skills that they rely on, and so creating knock-on effects on wider productivity, growth, other jobs, etc in these businesses who aren’t otherwise directly owned or led by unpaid carers.

Now combine all of this with the fact that less than 10% of all unpaid carers are eligible to apply for Carer’s Allowance because of its current design: people who needed to previously be employed to pay bills, buy food, etc now can’t work and can’t otherwise seek financial support via this scheme that’s seen as the solution by many to this need. This means over 500 people every day will be being forced into self-employment to try and resolve this tension and crisis in their lives: which will force them into further hidden obscurity because unpaid carers legislation won’t then recognise them as it currently does (being salaried is one of the statuses that current legislation and policy recognises an unpaid carer as being able to also be).

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged | Leave a comment

Time to drop the pretence – Israel is no partner for peace

The BBC ever so carefully described Israel’s bombing of (UK and US ally) Qatar on 9th September as simply a “strike on senior Hamas leaders” who just happened to be situated in Doha. They report that the government of Israel states for the record that “Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility”.

Two Qatari nationals were killed in the bombing in addition to members of Hamas. As Calum Miller, our Foreign Affairs spokesperson, rightly said in Parliament: “Prime Minister Netanyahu’s willingness to strike Doha will undermine efforts to secure the release of the hostages still held in Hamas’ captivity.”

Israel’s attack cannot be justified on the grounds that a legitimate military target long in hiding had just resurfaced. Qatar has hosted Hamas’ political leadership since 2012 – with the implicit blessing of both Israel and the US. No reasonable person can draw a conclusion other than that this was an attempt to derail peace talks: “it’s thought likely the targeted Hamas leaders were in the middle of discussing their formal response to the US ideas (about how to reach a Gaza ceasefire agreement)”.

Hamas has committed and defends the committing of war crimes. Its constitution continues to call for the destruction of Israel. Hamas’ fighters and military leadership are legitimate targets in war, but the alternative to some kind of peace deal – the complete elimination of the organisation – cannot be achieved without the genocide of the Palestinian people. Hamas’ awfulness is in this case irrelevant: you only attempt to assassinate the people you are negotiating with if you have no intention of reaching an agreement.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 16 Comments

Liberator 431

Liberator 431 is out and can be downloaded here: https://liberatormagazine.org.uk

In addition to Commentary, Letters and Lord Bonkers’ Diary find out in Radical Bulletin who at Westminster has put a shot across Ed Davey’s bow, why the party is running out of peers and whether there’s a link between Cyprus and vets bills.

LABOUR IN PAIN

The government’s performance is the antithesis of a sound economy, says Sarah Olney

A REVIEW TO DISAPPOINT HEDGEHOGS AND FOXES

The Liberal Democrat policy review fails to provide the ‘vision thing’, says David Grace

HOMES BROKEN BY SOCIAL HOUSING

Poor and overcrowded homes are damaging residents’ health and life prospects, says Rachel Bentley

PENSIONERS PAYING

Should wealthier pensioners be asked to pay towards the NHS? William Tranby explains why

FENCE SITTERS

Abstaining in Parliament is no strategy for the Lib Dems, says Sophie Layton

STARMER SHOULD GET REAL ABOUT DEFENCE

In a world where Europe can no longer rely on America for defence and Russian aggression continues in Ukraine, George Cunningham says radical change is needed to thinking about UK defence

PRESIDENTIAL PITCHES

Answers to Liberator’s questions from the three known candidates vying for the somewhat “it’s what you make of it” post of Liberal Democrat president

THE MYTH OF MANAGERIALISM

Julian Ingram argues that the answer to increasingly transactional voters lies in the Liberal Democrat preamble, not just the latest slogan

WHEN ENGLAND SAYS F OFF

The ‘F10’ attempt to streamline the Lib Dem candidates process was misunderstood and should be resolved and implemented, says Chris White

WHERE THE PARTY CAME FROM

Jonathan Calder looks at a new book on liberalism that challenges assumptions about the roles of noted thinkers

REVIEWS

Posted in News | 10 Comments

10 September 2025 – today’s press releases

  • Lib Dems call for mandatory origin labelling on beef
  • Davey on Doha Strikes: Starmer must summon Israeli Ambassador
  • Ed Davey on Mandelson: Civil Service Commission must investigate if ambassador has broken diplomatic code
  • Lib Dems push vote on banning loud music on public transport as new poll reveals impact of “headphone dodgers” on commuters
  • Chamberlain writes to Health Secretary over stroke patient’s 80-mile journey for care
  • Greene: Asylum motion shows desperate Conservatives aping Reform

Lib Dems call for mandatory origin labelling on beef

On Back British Farming Day, the Liberal Democrats are urging the Government to protect British farmers by making it mandatory to include country of origin on produce.

This follows months of concern from British farmers about the impact of the UK-US trade deal on British beef producers, after the UK agreed to allow up to 13,000 metric tonnes of beef imports from the US tariff-free.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for beef produced sold in large shops and large restaurants to include mandatory labelling that includes the country of origin to allow consumers to make informed decisions and promote British produce.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Environment spokesperson Tim Farron MP said:

Farmers are absolutely vital to Britain – to our economy and future food security. They put food on our table, manage our landscapes and without them, we would all be worse off.

Over the past year, the Government has done nothing but neglect the farming community, first with the cruel family farm tax, and then by cutting the farming budget and selling out British farmers by accepting US beef produced to lower standards.

The Liberal Democrats back British farmers who deserve so much better. I am urging the Government to do the same, axe the family farm tax, give the farming budget £1bn more a year and back British farmers.

Davey on Doha Strikes: Starmer must summon Israeli Ambassador

Responding to the Israeli airstrikes in Doha, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey said:

Netanyahu’s strikes on Doha show that he is less interested in securing the release of the hostages than he is in continuing to fuel regional destabilisation.

Keir Starmer must summon the Israeli Ambassador to Downing Street – immediately – to make clear that these strikes were utterly reckless and a flagrant breach of international law.

This latest escalation will only undermine efforts to secure the release of the hostages still held in Hamas’ captivity, and set back the path to a desperately needed ceasefire.

Starmer needs to make that case when he meets with President Herzog today – and confirm to the President that the UK will no longer send F-35 parts to Israel which it can use for its devastating campaign in Gaza.

Posted in News, Press releases and Scotland | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , and | 3 Comments

How the Labour Government’s “soft” approach to challenging regimes allowed transnational repression from the Chinese government

How had the Rules-based International Order (‘RBIO’) influenced UK-China affairs on Hong Kong? A good example would The Handover. Britain transferred sovereignty to the People’s Republic of China (‘PRC’) under the Sino-British declaration 1984 which promised a high autonomy to Hong Kongers with ever progressive democracy in Hong Kong. The transfer of sovereignty occurred as promised regardless of the human rights turmoil between the signing of the treaty and the TianAnMen massacre. 

Yet, do challenging regimes like China followed international treaties to the letter? No. First, China under the Chinese Communist Party (‘CCP’) imposed Chinese laws into Hong Kong and threw out the promise of high autonomy. Then, the CCP imposed its will through transnational repression in total contempt of UK law.

Even the Conservatives recognised China’s flagrant breach of the Joint Declaration and dusted out rescue plans for Hong Kongers – the BN(O) visa scheme. Yet, PM Starmer’s Government seems to be soft on the challenging regime in China. And in the case of the Chinese Embassy Complex development plan, they tried turning a blind eye. A firm China strategy is urgently needed if we are to halt China’s movement in destroying the RBIO.

Transnational repression of the Chinese Government

Chinese authorities are sending secret police to the UK carrying out acts of harassment and intimidation over pro-democracy campaigners. The 2023 Intelligence and Security Committee’s (‘ISC’) report on China highlighted that the remits of China’s Intelligence Services (‘ChiS’) are far larger in the UK. More worryingly, CHiS practices, including kidnappings, have far greater remits compared with the intelligence operations of many other countries. Moreover, the reports of China’s action against our parliamentary democracy and secret Chinese police operations are mentioned by the ISC investigation.

The role of the CHiS is our fundamental opposition to a new mega Chinese Embassy at the Old Royal Mint. 

Former Minister of State for Security Tom Tugendhat once criticised the Chinese government on 6th June 2023 as follows:

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 2 Comments

The UK Government must rethink its AI R&D

The recent shift forcing the Alan Turing Institute toward defence-focused AI research has sparked major questions about the UK’s innovation strategy.

Many argue that the government should have created or funded a dedicated defence AI institution with a clear mission, avoiding dilution of the Institute’s vital civil AI research and social innovation. The sudden pivot caused staff unrest, leadership upheaval, and risked ongoing societal research programmes.

Public trust and accountability are also crucial. National security projects need specialist oversight, ethical governance, and transparency—elements compromised when defence priorities are fused into a broadly purposed public research institute.

The UK already has specialist institutions developing defence AI. The Alan Turing Institute runs the Defence Artificial Intelligence Research (DARe) Centre in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence and intelligence agencies. The Defence Artificial Intelligence Centre (DAIC) integrates AI across military operations, while the AI Security Institute addresses AI safety and security risks. The Defence Innovation Organisation supports industrial partnerships with a significant ring-fenced budget. These dedicated bodies are designed to drive rapid advancements in national security AI.

Defence AI demands specialist infrastructure, security clearance, and operational protocols that a repurposed civil institute is ill-equipped to provide.

Posted in News | Tagged , and | 4 Comments

Max Wilkinson: Why is the BBC following Farage around like a lost puppy?

Our Culture and Media spokesperson Max Wilkinson MP, has written to the head of OfCom requesting that the BBC carries proportionate coverage of political parties.

It’s hardly surprising. We have 72 MPs, Reform have 5. Yet the BBC pumps out wall to wall Farage like he is some rock star. I thought Chris Mason knew better, but he wrote about the Reform conference with the excitement of a child in a sweetie shop next to a McDonalds. 

While Reform spit like sausages in a pan, our MPs get on and get stuff done – from Josh Babarinde getting the Government to agree to a specific offence of domestic abuse, to Roz Savage getting the Government to agree the principles of her Climate and Nature Bill, to Max himself getting renewable energy into every new home via his “sunshine bill.” Then there’s Christine Jardine achieving recognition and support for bereaved children. That’s just off the top of my head – four things that make a tangible difference for people and planet.

While these might not be as adrenaline pumping as the fire and brimstone Reform vomits over everyone they disapprove of, Lib Dems bring a lot more good in the world and get sod all recognition. That is not good enough. And it is not down to lack of trying on our part.

I’ve been critical of our core messaging being too timid and I stand by that. We do need to be more punchy in standing up to the racist mob.  But I also think that we are not being given our fair share of the media pie and that our public service broadcaster needs to do better.

In an email to party members, Max Wilkinson said that the BBC follows Farage around like a lost puppy:

Posted in News | Tagged and | 13 Comments

Is having “good policy” important?

Before anything else, I want to make clear what I mean by “good policy.” I specifically am not defining it as policy I agree with, I mean policy that is specific enough to be implementable without a significant amount of further policy development, lacks vagary and stands up to basic intellectual scrutiny. Plenty of policy which I am opposed to passes that test.

So does our party’s policy meet this standard of good policy? As a test case, let’s look at the agenda for our upcoming conference and it’s first policy motion, F5: Backing Youth Work to Build Communities. It begins by setting out quite clearly setting out both the value of youth work, both as a social good and in economic terms and the inadequacy of current provision and reaffirms that we believe that youth work is a good thing.

However, when it reaches the section Conference therefore calls on the government to: the section where specific steps for the government to take are proposed, it quickly loses it’s clarity. Calls are made for “fair, long term funding settlement” with no detail as to what that might be, a strategy for “high quality, targeted and open access youth work” and another “comprehensive Workforce and training strategy” to ensure a “sustainable pipeline of youth practitioners.” No details are available on what either strategy might entail or how it may be implemented. Worst of all is a call for a statutory duty for local authorities to provide sufficient youth services, while refusing to define what “sufficient” means. All in all, it sounds less like the policy of a party that has loads and loads of good policy if only the media would just look, and more like one which generally likes good things. In my opinion, this isn’t “good policy.”

Now you might be thinking, policy motions aren’t meant to be precise, it’s policy papers and the manifesto, where policy papers and motions passed over the last few years are gathered in an overarching plan which has to be precise and “good policy.” I’ve had many people say that to me.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 10 Comments

How should we respond to November’s Budget choices?

This is a review of the policy paper we will be discussing in Bournemouth.

The next two months in British politics will be crowded with speculation about what Labour will propose in terms of public spending and taxation in the budget, now announced for November 26th.  Kemi Badenoch has already accused the government of wanting to raise taxes, without suggesting how she would fill the gap between spending needs and resources available, and the right-wing media are full of calls for tax cuts without clarifying what spending cuts should accompany them.  Nigel

Posted in Op-eds | 17 Comments

This wouldn’t happen to a man – Why Angela Rayner’s fall is a disgrace

Angela Rayner’s downfall is not simply about tax. It is about misogyny, double standards, and the continuing failure of politics to treat women fairly.

The ongoing storm surrounding Angela Rayner’s stamp duty underpayment is about far more than a tax bill. It is about entrenched misogyny in politics, and the way women in public life are judged and punished more harshly than men.

Angela Rayner admitted an error. She acted on faulty legal advice, believed she had paid the right amount, and when new information emerged, she immediately referred herself to the independent adviser on ministerial standards. She has since moved to pay what is owed. This is what accountability should look like, openness, honesty, and reparations.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 28 Comments

Mathew on Monday: How do we up our media coverage?

Switch on the news and you’d think British politics is a two or three party show… and we’re not one of those. But beyond the red and blue and now turquoise noise, we Liberal Democrats are out there shaping debates, winning councils, and fighting for fairness.

The only problem? You’d hardly know it from the coverage.

So whose fault is that?

Well, I gently suggest, it is both the media’s partly but, yes, also at least in part, our party’s. There’s no doubt that we’re not getting the coverage that the largest third force in the House of Commons deserves and I strongly suggest that editors, producers, reporters, guest bookers etc  should have a default position of seeking to book Lib Dems for all political panels, debates, and so so on.

I say ‘seeking’ because, and here’s the rub, I know at least from two national broadcast outlets, that they’ve sought to book a Lib Dem MP for a segment and been told that none is available. That might just about have been believable when we had just 8 MPs but we now have 72 and, as I said at the Social Liberal Forum Conference this Summer and to President (now also Lord) Mark Pack’s face and I think annoyance, we now have 72 MPs so there really can be no reasonable excuse for not putting someone up for interview.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , , and | 23 Comments

Coal mines and constitutional reform

On Sunday BBC Sounds repeated a 2022 abridged reading of Jeremy Paxman’s “Black Gold” on Radio 4 Extra. It is a social history of how coal “made Britain”. Like the slavery which also helped to make Britain, it is an element of history which many will ignore or dismiss as irrelevant in a future where we aim to put the extraction of fossil fuels and the enslavement of human beings behind us.

I worked in Barnsley between 1979 and 1986, as well as being the Liberal parliamentary candidate for Barnsley Central in1983. I also lived across the road from the Yorkshire HQ of the National Union of Mineworkers. This left me with some distinctive memories of the 1984-1985 coal strike. Perhaps one of the most dramatic was a rare joint meeting of Methodist ministers from Yorkshire, where miners were strongly in favour of the strike, and from Nottinghamshire, where the majority of miners were opposed. We invited Peter Walker, the Secretary of State for Energy. Unsurprisingly he turned up late, but at least he came. He announced himself as “Peter Walker, the wettest member of the Cabinet” and then went into a ten minute rant about Arthur Scargill. I jumped in as soon as he finished. “I’m sorry,” I said, “We’re not here to discuss Scargill. We’ve come to discuss the future of the mining communities in the aftermath of the strike”. Bizarrely his response was “Those are the most disgraceful words I have ever heard from a Methodist minister.” It struck me that he must have had a sheltered upbringing! Naturally I have worn his comment as a badge of honour ever since.

Since returning to Barnsley a couple of years ago (two years after completing my stint on Bradford Council), I have been struck by the way in which evidence of coal mining has been erased from the landscape. Pit head buildings and other structures have been totally removed and the flat land used for other purposes, often retail parks, such as that at Cortonwood, where the strike started. I had assumed that this was basically a bit of political theatre, drawing a line under the era of coal. However in his history Paxman refers to a more sinister tampering with evidence, namely the way in which the concrete poured down some mine shafts was covering up operational papers which could never become part of any history or inquiry.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged | 8 Comments

Elected mayors are here to stay. Let’s upgrade their elections properly

This year’s local elections in England saw tremendous council gains for Liberal Democrats across the country. Even after the highs of last year’s General Election, we remain a party on an upward trajectory with a clear liberal vision, international values and a determined drive to change our communities for the better.

But while celebrations were welcome and deserved, we should also take stock at how unrepresentative the elections were just months ago.

First Past the Post caused havoc across England, resulting in councils made up of seats that didn’t fairly reflect how people voted.

When it came to mayoral elections, the results were stark. Originally established with the flawed but somewhat more representative Supplementary Vote system, the Conservatives took our democracy one step backwards and replaced the system with First Past the Post. All new mayoral elections since, including the West of England and Hull mayoral elections, both up for grabs this year, also used First Past the Post.

First Past the Post for single-member executive positions means mayors elected without a broad mandate.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged | 12 Comments

Caron’s catch-up – What a week!

There’s been a lot going on this week. I mean not one, but two government resets, the second caused by the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.

I like Angela Rayner. She is funny, doesn’t mince her words and was one of the Labour Government’s best communicators. While there was no way she could stay after the ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus said she had broken the Ministerial Code, he delivered his verdict with “deep regret” saying:

I believe Ms Rayner has acted with integrity and with a dedicated and exemplary commitment to public service.

I get that it was complicated and that she should have sought the advice. However,  I do wonder whether any person in her circumstances should have to pay extra tax because of circumstances which arose from making long term arrangements for her disabled child.  Should there not be exemptions in this sort of case? We shouldn’t be seeking to further penalise carers who are already giving so much.

I was also very impressed that Ed Davey did not join in mudslinging. On Wednesday he said:

I understand it is normally the role of opposition leaders to jump up and down and call for resignations – as we’ve seen plenty of from the Conservatives already.

Obviously if the ethics advisor says Angela Rayner has broken the rules, her position may well become untenable.

But as a parent of a disabled child, I know the thing my wife and I worry most about is our son’s care after we have gone, so I can completely understand and trust that the Deputy Prime Minister was thinking about the same thing here.

Perhaps now is a good time to talk about how we look after disabled people and how we can build a more caring country.

I am much more sympathetic to Angela Rayner than to any of the Tory ministers who clung on to office in unedifying circumstances, often with their Prime Minister’s backing.

I might not share her politics, but I think her heart is in the right place and I hope that some day we see her back on the front line.

Reshuffling the deckchairs

The ensuing Cabinet reshuffle had some interesting changes. Yvette Cooper may be relieved to escape the poisoned chalice of the Home Office, though having to deal with Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu is no picnic. David Lammy, as Deputy Prime Minister will still be able to have cosy fishing chats with US Vice President J D Vance, though he should make sure he has the right permit.

There is some consternation, I understand, amongst Scottish Labour members about the replacement of Ian Murray as Secretary of State for Scotland with Douglas Alexander. Ian was the only Scottish Labour MP between 2015 and 2017 and 2019 and 2024. He knows how to campaign and has built quite the fortress in his Edinburgh South constituency which he won despite a ferocious challenge from us  in 2010 by just 316 votes. He is well-liked and can’t really be blamed for the nosedive in popularity for the Labour Party north of the border. They made 36 gains in the UK General Election last year yet a More in Common poll this week forecast that they would lose 4 of their already low 22 seats.

Douglas Alexander is seen as a big hitter with the ability to at least limit the damage. He has a massive political brain but he can show some spectacular lapses. He was blamed for the appalling Better Together party political broadcast which gave even some of its strongest supporters what we call up here the “dry boak.” Those of you with long memories will understand what I meant when I called it “Rosie Barnes and the rabbit without the political intelligence.”

That same More in Common Poll is much better news for us, predicting that we could end up with 14 MSPs, an increase of 10. Yes it’s just one poll, but we are doing a massive amount of work on the ground, much more than at this stage in previous years. We are also, for the first time, asking for people’s votes on the list at an early stage.

We have wrestled with how to make the case for the list for a long time. We’ve over-complicated it so much. In fact, poor Alex Cole-Hamilton was the unfortunate staffer who had to turn some very complex messaging into graphics for the 2003 election. He did well with what he was given, but maybe we should have done then what we are doing now – simply asking people to vote for us.

Digital ID – really?

Lisa Smart, our Home Affairs spokesperson, wrote the most read article on LDV this week. She posed the question whether we should change our position on ID cards in this digital age. Our commenters weren’t so sure with several picking up on her saying that it could “help identify undocumented migrants.”

I am way more profligate with my data than I probably should be. A glance at my wallet on my phone will show loyalty cards for various supermarkets and hotel chains and booking sites.

I have chosen, maybe unwisely, to sacrifice my data for some convenience – and to spend less on my weekly shopping though I curse the loyalty card discounts. Why should I get £1.25 off my butter when the elderly person who wouldn’t know one end of a smartphone from the other wouldn’t?

Capitalism is all about various corporate entities pretending to serve you with various iterations of corporate bovine scatology.

Our relationship with the state is different. It exists to serve the people, not for it to control the people.

However nice and voluntary Lisa Smart’s scheme would be, imagine what that would mean in the hands of Farage. At a glance he would know where every gay, trans, non white or disabled person was.  I am sure you would agree that that is not ok.

It would be bad enough in the hands of authoritarian Labour. There is no way it would be voluntary for long.

We also must not use it as a pass to access our public services, particularly healthcare. We cannot turn our nurses and doctors in to government gatekeepers.

Back to school

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , , , , , , , , and | 14 Comments

Get your amendments and questions in fast: Deadline 1pm tomorrow

There are just 22.5 hours to get your questions and amendments in for Federal Conference.

You can question Ed, the parliamentary parties in the Commons and the Lords or Federal Committees, and the Campaign for Gender Balance and the Racial Diversity campaign. Their reports are here.

Keep an eye out on social media for people looking for signatures for amendments, too. It’s not unknown for someone to write one the night before, so if there is anything in the agenda you think needs amending, have a look at the agenda and put something together. You’ll need to find 10 party members to agree with you and then you can submit it here.

Posted in News | Tagged and | Leave a comment

A new approach?

It is time. The country, in fact the world, is in a state of political flux. As the loud minority gets louder, it’s time for the quiet majority to speak up, and stand up. 

For too long now the extremists in politics, be it Nigel Farage, Marine Le Pen, or Donald Trump, have been dominating the headlines, the waves and our screens. Tweets, soundbites, provocation, division. It is clearly effective. But the politics they stand for are dangerous. They take away dignity, liberty, and humanity. You needn’t look far to see examples of this. ICE in America, Reform’s copycat mass deporation policies. Then, to the left, Jeremy Corbyn’s apparent inaction to stamp out antisemitism in the Labour Party during his leadership.

These people and parties do not hide their colours in ambiguity or political jargon which the Labour government of today has done very well. On paper, a left-leaning progressive government. Yet, because of the loud Reform Party, their rhetoric has shifted rightward, and the Conservatives have all but disappeared into a cloud of teal trying to win back support after being the adopted definition of reckless, shameful, and incompetent government. There is no loud liberal or centrist voice anymore.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 11 Comments

Remembering my Nana: War, partition, and the case for peace

Picture of Subidar Major Choudry Sikander KhanMy grandfather my Nana Subidar Major Choudry Sikander Khan, was born in 1925 in a small village called Kotha Gujjaran, in what was then British India. Our family belong to the Gujjar community, a community known for two things: dairy farming and joining the army. For generations, these paths defined who we were: tending buffalo in the fields, or carrying a rifle on the front lines.

My Nana embodied that tradition. He served in the army with courage and discipline, fighting not just in the 1965 war between India and Pakistan, but also in the 1947 conflict that came with Partition, and again in 1971. Before him, his own uncle had worn the uniform of the British Indian Army and fought in the Second World War, in Burma. Ours is a family, like many from Punjab, that has spilt blood in the name of causes decided far from the villages where they were born.

When Partition came in 1947, it tore Punjab in two. It was not just a cartographer’s line it was, as historians have rightly called it, a bloody line. Millions were uprooted. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs neighbours for centuries suddenly found themselves enemies overnight. Entire trains of refugees crossed the new borders, and too often, those trains arrived full of corpses. The soil of Punjab is rich, but it is also heavy with the weight of that blood.

Kashmir too became, and remains, a wound. A valley of beauty turned into a permanent battlefield. My Nana and so many others were sent to defend or reclaim a line on a map. Young men were told to fight and die, while politicians and generals decided their fate in offices hundreds of miles away.

This is the reality of the subcontinent’s wars: they solved nothing. Borders remained disputed. Families remained divided. The scars are still visible three generations later. The only thing these wars achieved was suffering lost fathers, lost sons, widows and orphans, poverty, displacement, and trauma.

Posted in Europe / International and Op-eds | Tagged , , and | 2 Comments

Tom Arms’ World Review

China

The received diplomatic thinking for some years was that the United States represented the secure and stable post-war order. China represented radical—bordering on revolutionary– change.

This is changing. Trump’s America First policy coupled with tariffs and an ill-defined isolationism, is projecting America as the chief agent of change.

Meanwhile, China’s growing dependence on international trade, is transforming it into an advocate of globalisation and the international institutions that protect it.

This was apparent at this past week’s meeting of the 20-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Tianjin. In his opening address, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that countries should “uphold justice, engage in multilateralism and advocate for inclusive economic globalisation and an equitable global governance system.”

He also called for support for the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation (The WTO has been effectively rendered powerless by America’s refusal to allow new judges to be appointed).

China has over the years set up a collection of overlapping regional organisations which it dominates. They include the SCO,  The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States and the China-Arab Forum.

Beijing uses each of these organisations that to push the claim that China—not America—is the world’s anchor of stability. And as the Trump Administration pursues a rolling campaign of economic warfare against its trading partner this story is gaining in credence

Diplomatic and trading opportunities are being handed to China on a plate by the policies of MAGA America. It is getting to the point where an increasing number of countries are actively interested in finding an alternative to the dollar as the world’s premier trading currency. Also, fewer countries appear to be willing to impose sanctions on America’s behalf.

A key country in the shift away from America is India. Historically, India has been at loggerheads with China and successive American administrations have made strenuous bipartisan efforts to secure Indian support to counterbalance growing Chinese power.

These efforts appeared to bear fruit in the first Trump Administration and during the Biden years. But they suffered a serious setback when Trump recently opposed a 50 percent tariff on India for buying Russian oil.

In Tianjin, Modi made a point of physically embracing both Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. It was an embrace which sent worried shivers down the spines of American diplomats.

France

French President Emmanuel Macron looks set to lose another prime minister—his fifth since January 2024.

The current resident of the Hotel de Matignon—Francois Bayrou—has scheduled a vote of no confidence in his economic plans for next week. And it looks like it will fail. His deficit reduction proposals are hugely unpopular.

M. Bayrou is a centrist—he and Macron want to reduce France’s high level of public debt which is currently 114 percent of GDP. To do that, Bayrou proposes budget savings of $51 billion a year.

The problem is that Bayrou heads a minority government and budget cuts are opposed by both the right and left-wing blocs of the National Assembly. The National Rally (RN) of Marine Le Pen, most socialists and Jean-Luc Melenchon’s far-left supporters all oppose the cuts. They also see the debate as an opportunity to increase their parliamentary representation and have called on Macron to call fresh elections to the National Assembly.

The Socialist leader, Olivier Faure, has offered to stave off elections with a pledge to join the Bayrou’s government. But he demands a high price. He wants the cuts halved to $25.5 billion. Faure was rejected.

It is unlikely that Macron will accede to Melenchon and Le Pen’s election demands. The last time he did so, Macron ended up shrinking his minority government. Current polls indicate that if elections were held now, Macron’s supporters would end up with a paltry 15 percent of the vote. The RN is likely to win a third of the votes, the combined parties of the left 25 percent. The balance would be split between socialists and moderate conservatives.

If he does not call elections, Macron will have to choose another prime minister from what appears to be a dwindling list of suitable candidates and an increasingly unstable political environment.

Donald Trump

Donald Trump has taken to heart one of the most famous quotes from George Orwell’s iconic novel “1984”: “He who controls the past controls the future.”

Posted in News | Tagged , and | 5 Comments

Observations of an Expat: End of Tariffs?

Trump is right. Ending tariffs would be an economic disaster, at least for him. Any damage to America would be his own fault.

It would not, as Trump claims, turn America into a third world country. That is a typical Trumpian hyperbole.

But the sudden and dramatic end of tariffs would definitely damage Trump’s vision of the future American economy. And that in turn will hurt Trump politically. Whether it would also be bad for the rest of the world… well, we’ll have to wait and see.

The prospect of the sudden end of tariffs was raised by the decision of the Appellate Court last Friday to support a lower court’s judgement that the tariffs were unconstitutional.

The Appellate Court, however, has given Trump a possible out—The Supreme Court. The Administration has until October 18 to appeal to the ultimate judicial authority and, of course, the court is packed with conservatives,

But that may not be enough. Trump imposed the tariffs under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The IEEPA gives the president sweeping powers to declare an emergency and to use economic actions to deal with it.

These include such measures as sanctions and freezing assets. However, nowhere in the Act does – ruled the Appellate Court by 7 to 4—is the president given the power to impose tariffs. That is “a core Congressional power.” This means, according to two levels of the judiciary, that the tariffs are unconstitutional and should be reversed.

So far Trump’s tariffs have raised more than $210 billion dollars. By time the Supreme Court rules on their legality the figure will be around $300 billion.

If the tariffs are illegal than those who paid them can sue the government—plus interest and possible damage to business—for the money that they lost.

But that is not all. Tariffs are at the heart of Trump’s long-term economic policy and linked to his Big Beautiful Bill (BBB). According to some estimates, the sweeping tax cuts in the BBB could increase the federal deficit by $5.2 trillion over the next ten years. Tariff revenues are meant to more than offset those losses.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 9 Comments

5 September 2025 – today’s press releases

  • Lib Dems call for Farage to be put on foreign influence watchlist as party rebrands Reform HQ Trump Tower
  • Lib Dems demand Farage is dragged in front of DCMS Committee after Reform threats to national journalists
  • Davey on reshuffle: Labour “learning the wrong lessons” from calamity Conservatives
  • David Chadwick raises concerns that Welsh families are being left behind in vital childcare support

Lib Dems call for Farage to be put on foreign influence watchlist as party rebrands Reform HQ Trump Tower

  • The Lib Dems have called on Farage to officially register his ties with Donald Trump under the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS)
  • Daisy Cooper has branded the Reform leader a “Trump puppet” following his meeting with the US President this week
  • The move comes as party lit up Reform HQ to rebrand it as Trump Tower last night

The Liberal Democrats are demanding that Nigel Farage be placed on an official foreign influence watchlist due to his ties to Donald Trump.

Liberal Democrat Deputy leader Daisy Cooper has raised Farage’s ties to Donald Trump as a potential example of foreign collusion – as her party called for the Reform leader to register himself under the Government’s Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.

The party lit up Reform HQ last night to rebrand it as ‘Trump Tower’ “to show where Farage’s loyalties really lie.”

The FIRS scheme came into force on 1 July and was set up to oversee attempts by foreign powers to influence democratic processes in the UK. It requires individuals and organisations to register any arrangements they have with foreign powers within 28 days of making them. This can include arrangements to receive payments or future favourable treatment from a foreign power. Failure to register when required under the scheme is a criminal offence.

The Liberal Democrats have said given Farage’s close personal links to Trump and his efforts to lobby the US administration he should be registered under the scheme. Farage is a long-term close personal friend of Trump and described the UK’s 2016 government as “petty” for not taking advantage of his connections to the then-president. He has since repeatedly spoken at Trump fundraisers, including most recently in March of this year.

Posted in News, Press releases and Wales | Tagged , , , , , , , and | Leave a comment

4 September 2025 – yesterday’s press releases

  • Carers UK report: A wake up call for the Government
  • No formal inspections at largest kids’ psychiatric hospital during cruelty allegations

Carers UK report: A wake up call for the Government

Commenting on the Carers UK report published today, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

These figures are a wake up call for the government. Carers keep are communities and our NHS going, but they have been pushed to breaking point.

The report is shocking but not surprising. Not surprising for millions of people caring round the clock because no one else will. Not for the carers going months and years without a break.

Posted in News, Press releases and Scotland | Tagged , , and | Leave a comment

Immigration: A Liberal Force for Good in Britain

In November party members will be voting to elect our next Party President and Vice President. At Lib Dem Voice we welcome posts from each of the candidates – one to launch their candidature (like this one, for Vice President) plus a maximum of one per week during the actual campaign.  

For too long, the national conversation on immigration has been dominated by fear, misinformation, and division. As Liberal Democrats, we know better. We see immigration not as a problem to be solved, but as a vital, enriching, and profoundly liberal force that has helped shape the Britain we love.

The evidence is clear, and the case is compelling. Immigration isn’t just a part of modern Britain; it’s the very thread that weaves together the tapestry of our nation’s progress and success.

Our NHS: The Beating Heart of a Liberal Nation

The National Health Service is a core Liberal Democrat value. We know that to protect it, we must embrace the talent and dedication of people from all over the world. Walk into any hospital or care home and you will see it for yourself: doctors, nurses, and caregivers from every corner of the globe, working tirelessly to keep us safe. They are not just ‘filling gaps’—they are the backbone of our health service. Their expertise saves lives, their compassion comforts families, and their presence ensures the NHS can continue to be a source of national pride.

Powering Our Economy, Fuelling Our Ambition

Liberals believe in open, dynamic economies where innovation and enterprise thrive. Immigration is a powerful engine for just that. Immigrants are not a drain on our resources; they are a source of immense economic strength. They pay taxes, launch businesses, and create jobs. Research shows time and again that they contribute more in taxes than they take in public services. This isn’t just about numbers—it’s about the energy, creativity, and ambition that fuels new companies and keeps our economy moving forward. From a local cafe to a global tech company, immigrant entrepreneurs are a testament to the power of a modern, open Britain.

Enriching Our Culture, Strengthening Our Communities

Diversity is our strength. A Liberal Britain is a diverse one, and our culture has been profoundly enriched by the contributions of people from around the world. From our high streets to our festivals, this influence is visible and delicious! But it’s about more than just food. It’s about the music, art, and traditions that bring communities together and make our towns and cities more vibrant places to live. When we celebrate Diwali, Eid, or Chinese New Year, we aren’t just celebrating a single culture; we are celebrating the multicultural Britain we have built together. This spirit of openness is what makes us truly a global nation.

Building a Smarter, Younger Britain

We know that Britain faces the challenge of an ageing population. The answer isn’t to retreat and close our borders; it’s to welcome the younger workers who can sustain our economy, fund our pensions, and power our public services. This is a common-sense solution.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 12 Comments

Israel and Palestine: a lasting peace

The conflict between Israel and Hamas has been nothing short of horrifying.

Each day, we are confronted with images of devastation, loss of life, and destruction. Innocent Palestinians are perishing, while innocent Israelis are being held as hostages. Anti-war activists in Israel, comprising both Israeli and Palestinian individuals, advocate for a cessation of hostilities. Courageous anti-Hamas residents of Gaza vocally oppose the totalitarian regime that has deprived their region of democratic principles. Liberals and socialists within Israel are urging Prime Minister Netanyahu and his far-right cabinet to resign and to terminate their ongoing assaults on Palestine.

There have been too many stories of survivors of October 7th, how they were starved, beaten and raped by Hamas terrorists. I have seen too many photos of abandoned Hamas hideouts, where evidence of hoarding UN aid from their fellow Palestinians has become apparent. I have read too many accounts of anti-Gazan Hamas protestors, who are so brave to speak up against a regime that would sooner kill them than engage in dialogue, being kidnapped and “disappearing”. I have seen too many videos of starving Palestinian children begging for food and basic needs, only to be met with violence and death.

Prime Minister Netanyahu leads a regime that is determined to pursue the complete eradication of Palestine. His cabinet, characterised by a predominance of hard-right and far-right politicians, adheres to a variant of Zionism that is deeply anchored in extreme conservatism. His political adversaries, namely the Israeli Labour Party and Yesh Atid, have urged Netanyahu to resign and put an end to what they deem a barbaric conflict. Anti-war activists, who have taken to the streets of Tel Aviv advocating for peace and a two-state solution, have called for the removal of the Netanyahu administration.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 10 Comments

ALDC by-election report, 4th September

This week, there was only one-by election, where we were attempting to successfully defend a council seat.

Congratulations to Councillor Matt Fry and the local Liberal Democrat team for holding our seat in Luton with a strong result. Despite a crowded field and the entry of new parties into the race, the team secured a solid 41.3% of the vote, ensuring a Liberal Democrat hold.

Luton BC, Stopsley
Liberal Democrats (Matt Fry): 935 (41.3%, -36.3)
Reform UK: 820 (36.2%, new)
Labour: 251 (11.1%, -11.3)
Conservative: 152 (6.7%, new)
Green Party: 87 (3.8%, new)
Independent: 19 (0.8%, new)

Liberal Democrats HOLD

Turnout: 24.8%

Posted in News | Tagged | 13 Comments

Zack Polanski’s first email as Green Leader: not a word about  Climate Change

I’ve known Zack since his days as a Liberal Democrat, so I was curious  to read the email he sent out after he was elected leader and how he would present himself in his new role. The email he sent out (text below) was certainly polished. But it focused on bills, childcare, public ownership of water, and taking on Reform. All important issues, but none of them are why people join the Greens.  It was remarkable for what it left out: not a single mention of the environment or climate change – the very issues the Green Party exists to champion.

Looking at his statement when he was elected, climate and environment barely feature and his Twitter feed tells the same story: the Green Party has chosen a leader who doesn’t seem especially interested in green issues.

This raises an obvious question for long-standing Green members and supporters. If the Green Party leader won’t put climate and environment front and centre, then what is the Party’s reason for existing? It starts to look less like an environmental movement and more like another version of  ‘Your Party’ – right down to the “In solidarity” sign-off.

For those who care passionately about the climate, there is a political home: the Liberal Democrats. Ed Davey has made environmental action a central priority, from investing in renewable energy to protecting nature. The party’s record – and its leader’s repeated focus on these issues – makes clear that tackling the climate crisis is not an afterthought but a core mission.

Those who want a Party which  treats the environment as  a core priority  won’t find it in Zack Polanski’s Greens. They will in Liberal Democrats.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , , and | 14 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Mark ValladaresMark Valladares
    I am somewhat puzzled by the focus on policy stances, given that this has not traditionally been the role of the Presidency. It's why the President chairs Feder...
  • Mark ValladaresMark Valladares
    @ Russell, The issue is that he initially claimed that he had purchased the property, which would lead to a demand for rather more stamp duty than if his par...
  • Jonathan Coulter
    I am glad Natalie speaks about policy. If she has a strong understanding of the policy issues she will be able to relate to the concerns of ordinary members and...
  • Ian Patterson
    @ Peter Davies my apologies for mislocating it. But the general idea of an English nationlist party doing well in Wales will upset a number of political appleca...
  • Peter Davies
    It's not in rural Glamorgan, it's in Barry....