Viv Bingham

Viv Bingham

Viv Bingham

We are sad to report that Viv Bingham OBE, who was Lib Dem candidate for Stalybridge & Hyde in 2005, has passed away just over a week ago.

Viv was a Liberal and then Lib Dem member for many many years, his passions in politics included the Co-Operative movement and the campaign for nuclear disarmament.

A popular figure in the party, he was President of the Liberal Party nationally in 1981-82, and perhaps best known and loved for his leading of singing “We Shall Overcome” at the close of party conference Glee Club each year.

Our thoughts are with his family and close friends, and with the many happy moments we shared with him on and off the campaign trail.

 

Viv Bingham, 11 April 1932 – 3 March 2012

Local police crack down on cannabis cultivation

Chris Davies MEP

Chris Davies MEP

A campaigner against Britain’s drugs laws has welcomed the crackdown on cannabis factories being launched by police forces across the North West from Monday, March 5th.

Tameside’s Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies says that a targeted campaign against serious criminals has his full support, although he believes the law on drugs is an ass.

According to government figures, more than one third of the British population have used illegal drugs at some point in their lives. The number of cannabis ‘farms’ detected across the UK has increased from 3,032 to 6,866 over the past four years. Often located in private houses, many are said to be run by criminal gangs. Chris Davies says that the police crackdown on criminals makes more sense than arresting drug users who may be causing no harm to anyone other than themselves.

But the Liberal Democrat MEP says the production and sale of drugs should be legalised, licensed, taxed and accompanied by health warnings.

He said: “We celebrate the owners of breweries and distilleries as captains of industry, yet their products are every bit as harmful as cannabis. Drugs prohibition has failed across the world because it puts their production and supply into the hands of some evil people. The criminality associated with the drugs trade causes vastly more harm to society than their use. Drugs use should be matter for health professionals not law enforcement officers.”

A new law in Switzerland allows any citizen to grow up to four cannabis plants for their personal use, an approach to destroying the criminal supply chain that Chris describes as making good sense.

Guidance from the Association of Chief Police Officers says that cannabis ‘farms’ are usually located in private dwellings. While some are of little commercial value the largest ever discovered, in Cambridgeshire in 2010, led to the seizure of 7,600 plants with a value of £2.5 million.

The number of plants is not relevant. A property will be treated as a ‘farm’ if it possesses either high intensity lighting, ventilation, a hydroponics system or is bypassing an electrical
meter.

Commercial cannabis production has been associated with trafficking of adults and their children from China and Vietnam.

ACPO says: “It is believed that there are a small number of teams who specialise in specific aspects of the cultivation chain. Higher level criminals are coordinating these teams and are highly organised.

Responsible Capitalism

Nick Clegg MP

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg MP

This morning, Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg gave a speech at Mansion House on the economy.

Read the full speech here:

Another week, another speech about the evils of capitalism. Let me start by asking: who here is in favour of irresponsible capitalism? Because you won’t find many people arguing for more recklessness, more short-termism or greater rewards at the top. On the contrary – the growing consensus is that we need the opposite: a more sustainable economy; a more balanced economy, where rewards are proportionate and relate to real success.

That consensus, emerging among the political parties, has attracted a little cynicism.
I can understand that. It is, after all, bonus season in our banks. But there is a more generous interpretation of the shifting political mood. One that says: perhaps the penny has finally dropped.

Liberal Democrats have been arguing for a more balanced capitalism for many years. Vince Cable warned in 2006 that bank lending levels were “recklessly irresponsible” at a time that “bad debts were growing.” We saw the gulf emerging in our economy between a small number of winners and everyone else. And we warned against the corrosive effects. So we welcome the new political vogue – although it is not so new for us. And we want to seize on growing support for so-called ‘responsible capitalism’ and actually deliver it.

To do that, as this debate moves forward, we need to be clear about what we mean.
Because, whether you call it a new economy, an ethical economy, moral markets, responsible capitalism, there is a big difference between having strong views on bonus culture or excessive top pay and wanting real change in the practices and principles that guide corporate life. A bit of wrist slapping or moralising at the worst offenders will not be enough. This should not be a war of words but a real contest of ideas about how to reform our economy.

So this morning I want to offer a liberal diagnosis of what’s wrong; and then a liberal remedy. (more…)

Ed Balls’ admission better late than never

Tim Farron MP

Tim Farron

Responding to Ed Balls’ speech on the economy, Liberal Democrat Party President, Tim Farron said:

“After nearly two years of opposing every saving the Coalition Government has made at least Ed Balls has finally admitted there is a deficit problem.

“However, he still refuses to take any responsibility for Labour’s 13 years in power where they failed to balance the books and get to grips with reckless behaviour in the City, even when he was City Minister.

“Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government are doing the right thing, taking the difficult decisions to protect Britain from the same fate as some euro zone countries while at the same time pursuing progressive policies such as reducing taxes for the lowest earners, making sure pensioners get a fair deal and providing a fair start for every child through the pupil premium.

“Ed Balls’ admission is better late than never, but he and Labour still owe Britain an apology for 13 years of poor government and 18 months of lies in opposition.”

Local shale gas extraction needs targeted regulation

Liberal Democrats from across the North West joined to demand a moratorium on shale gas exploration at their policymaking regional conference. Regional Chair and Southport Councillor Sue McGuire, called for a halt to further drilling until the environmental impacts were better understood. Shale gas recovery involves hard to reach reserves of methane being extracted by cracking porous rocks containing the gas using the controversial hydraulic fracturing technique known as ‘fracking’. Exploration companies are investigating shale gas reserves within the Bowland Shale Basin which covers a large part of Lancashire with test wells being drilled near both Blackpool and Southport. There are serious engineering and environmental concerns about the impact of fracking on low level seismic activity and on the possible contamination of water tables by the chemicals used in the process. (more…)

Good pension news for women

Welcoming the Government’s announcement of changes to the planned increase in the state pension age for women, Jenny Willott MP today said: “I welcome today’s announcement that shows the Government has listened to the concerns of thousands of women and capped the maximum increase that women will see. This will protect half a million people, including hundreds of thousands of women who would have been worst affected by the change.

“Liberal Democrats had made clear to the Government that the proposal to raise the age of the state pension was unfair on many women and we were joined by campaigners in urging a rethink.  With life expectancy set to increase, the Government’s aim is a simple, decent state pension which is easy to understand, efficient to deliver and affordable.”

Jenny is Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party Committee on Work and Pensions.

Office for Fair Access must be given teeth

Simon Hughes MP

Responding to today’s [Thursday] Office for Fair Access (OFFA) report, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader and the Government’s Advocate for Access to Education, Simon Hughes, said the body must be given the power to punish universities that fail to offer places to enough students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Simon Hughes said, “This is further confirmation of how many English universities are failing to advance social mobility. This report confirms why the new Government has been right to make widening access to higher education a priority for this parliament. The spotlight is now well and truly on our top academic institutions and from now on they will have nowhere to hide.

“In my report to the Prime Minister in July, I made clear that the powers of OFFA should be strengthened in the higher education bill that will be coming soon. OFFA must be given the power to use sanctions against those institutions which do not deliver more places to young people from less privileged backgrounds. In every region of England, all universities should also co-ordinate outreach so that no secondary school or college student does not know the opportunities and benefits of going to university.

“Top universities must work much harder to increase their number of students from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds.

And in the next few weeks, everyone who is doing A-levels next year- whatever their background- should consider Cambridge and Oxford as well as every other university, and to rule nowhere out. “

Copies of the full access report can be found at http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/hughes-report

Nick Clegg’s speech to Liberal Democrat Conference

Nick Clegg MP

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg MP

Speaking at Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference today [Wednesday], Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said:

Liberal Democrats, we have now been in Government for 500 days. Not easy, is it? None of us thought it would be a walk in the park, but I suspect none of us predicted just how tough it would turn out to be. We’ve lost support, we’ve lost councillors, and we lost a referendum. I know how painful it has been to face anger and frustration on the doorstep.

Some of you may have even wondered: Will it all be worth it in the end? It will be. And today I want to explain why.

But above all I want to pay tribute to you. Your resilience. Your grace under fire. I have been genuinely moved by your spirit and your strength. Thank you. Thank you, above all, for never forgetting what we are in politics for. After the May elections, Alex Cole-Hamilton, one of our defeated candidates in Edinburgh said that if losing was part payment for ending child detention then, as he said: “I accept it, with all my heart.”

That is the liberal spirit and that is something we will never lose. The spirit that gave birth to our party a century and half ago, that kept us alive when the other two parties tried to kill us off. The spirit that means however great our past, our fight will always be for a better future. (more…)

Companies chase Davies’ billions

Britain stands to gain more than €1 billion of investment capital from Europe for innovative green energy projects.

Seven British companies dominate the 14 from across Europe that are now bidding for financial support to build carbon capture and storage (CCS) demonstration projects.

The technology, which many consider a vital tool in fighting climate change, involves the removal of carbon dioxide from the fuel burnt in power stations and industrial plants, and its injection into rocks far beneath the North Sea.

Up to €5 billion is expected to be released through the sale of surplus carbon allowances, a resource made possible thanks to a proposal put to EU Prime Ministers through work in 2008 by Tameside Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies.

Davies described his success at the time as “the greatest political achievement of his life”.

The funds are expected to be shared between 8 large CCS projects and a number of smaller schemes intended to develop innovative renewable energy schemes. No one country can win more than three in total.

The projects are now being appraised, with the winners to be announced towards the end of next year.

Although Yorkshire is prominent amongst the CCS bidders, the North West is certain to lose out. Initial interest shown by major companies close to the Mersey and Dee estuaries in piping CO2 out to storage sites in depleted Irish Sea gas fields came to nothing.