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20 Most Recent News Stories
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Fri 30th Jul 2010
Those who fervently hope that the Coalition will spell the end of the Liberal Democrats had a further disappointment yesterday [30th July]. There were three principal by-elections. Liberal Democrat Simon Allen took the Radstock Ward seat on the Bath & North East Somerset Unitary Authority from Independent. Although commonplace in many developed countries, coalition politics is a completely new experience for moist of us in Britain. The voters have more sense than many 'commentators' and 'axe grinders' and are clearly willing to vote with their heads and give the Coalition time to settle and produce results before passing judgment.
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Fri 23rd Jul 2010
Congratulations to Liberal Democrat Andrew Baldry who took the St.Mary's with Summercombe Ward of Torbay Unitary Authority from the Conservatives at yesterday's by-election. In the other eight major council by-elections held on 22nd July Liberal Democrat candidates successfully defended the three previously LibDem held seats.
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Thu 22nd Jul 2010
Those who fervently wish to see the Coalition fail are getting excited about Nick Clegg's comment at Prime Ministers Questions about 'the illegal Iraq war'. Once again we need to ram home that the LibDems have NOT joined the Conservative Party; the Coalition is NOT an electoral pact; and, that as an independent Party with our own history & policies, we are perfectly entitled within the Coalition to take a different view from the Conservatives and indeed have an obligation to do so. It is fact that the Tories were even more enthusiastic than Labour in support of the invasion of Iraq & Nick is quite right to express the LibDem view on this issue, including from the Dispatch Box.
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Mon 5th Jul 2010
The South Fylde Line Community Rail Partnership has formally launched a full colour brochure called "Discover The South Fylde Line" to promote the railway line that runs between Preston and Blackpool South. Designed by Source Creative and funded by the Partnership and the Designated Line Community Rail Development Fund, the 12 page brochure is filled with suggestions of places to visit and things to see from the line.. Copies of the brochure are available from local rail booking offices and tourist information outlets throughout the Fylde coast.
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Fri 2nd Jul 2010
Doubtless much to the disappointment of Labour, right wing Conservatives and sections of the media, the Liberal Democrat support is not wasting away. The electorate has more sense. There were seven by-elections for major Councils on 1st July. Liberal Democrat farmer, Michael Huffer, took the Clee Ward of Shropshire Unitary Authority from the Conservatives increasing the LD vote by 23.4% and LibDem Garfield Kennedy took the Shepton West seat of Mendip District Council from the Conservatives with a 17.8% increase in the LD vote. Locally we did not contest Ribby with Wrea. The other four elections were held by the defending party.
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Mon 28th Jun 2010
Lots of Liberal Democrats are uneasy about being in coalition with the Conservatives but they are, one suspects, nothing like as unhappy as the large number of right wing hawks in the Tory Party whose wings have been clipped. If you want to see what happens when the Tories have sole control please look at Tony Ford's & Howard Henshaw's blogs by clicking the appropriate link at the side of this page. Whatever the coalition does that goes against the LibDem grain it is time to let the head rule the heart. The electorate did not vote for a Labour, nor Conservative, nor indeed (sadly) for a LibDem government to rule as the kind of elected dictatorship that has been our history for most of the last 65 yrs. To work with Labour the numbers simply did not add up. It was the Conservatives or nothing. In the circumstances a minority government or another General Election would have been a disaster for Britain. The Coalition agreement sets out the most detailed blueprint for Government that there has ever been. But we should note and remember that this is a Coalition, NOT an electoral pact, and as Howard & Tony are demonstrating we will fight the Conservatives & anyone else with the utmost vigour when the issues demand it.
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Tue 22nd Jun 2010
Lib Dem councillors had their annual conference last week within the confines of Local Government House in Smith Square, London. Co-hosted by ALDC and the Lib Dem LGA group, the conference pulls together colleagues from across the country with our parliamentary team. This year, of course, our parliamentary colleagues have joined many thousands of Lib Dem councillors in actually being in charge of running things. Normally our councillors are more experienced at holding the reins of power than our MPs! One other new thing we have to get used to is that Nick Clegg can no longer just turn up & make a speech. He now has to be preceeded by a crowd of security officials.
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Tue 22nd Jun 2010
In a few hours we will hear what the Coalition Government has in store for our national & personal finances. It is highly unlikely that we will enjoy the experience but let us just be thankful that, without the 'hung parliament' that all the pundits said would be a national catastrophe, the budget could easily be a lot worse. One senior treasury official is reported in the Financial Times as saying "The fact that there is another party involved means the whole process has been much more inclusive". Another said "There was even quite a big discussion in cabinet this week about it. I don't think that's happened before". [Click headline for more]
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Sun 20th Jun 2010
Free swimming for under-16s and over-60s in England will be axed from the end of July as part of government cuts. What impact this lack of funding will have on St. Anne's and Kirkham's pools remains to be seen.
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Sun 20th Jun 2010
Liberal Democrats on Lancashire County Council have 'called in' the decision to close St Anne's and three other Household Waste Recycling Centres across the county. If successful the decision will be sent back and overturned. Initiated by Councillor Bill Winlow, the leader of the Liberal Democrats on the Lancashire County Council, the battle to keep these important community facilities open continues. Leading the 'call-in' motion will be Liberal Democrat Margaret Brindle, a county councillor representing Burnley. Cllr. Tony Ford. currently Mayor of St. Anne's will be speaking at the 'call-in' meeting speaking on behalf of the people of St. Anne's, making the case to keep the facility open.
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Tue 15th Jun 2010
Residents in Kilnhouse Lane area are clearly upset after learning that the Queensway Industrial Estate has been marked out as one huge commercial waste facility which includes the site of the Everest Road facility. Residents are also annoyed that they have not had letters about the proposals, though LCC have promised to remedy that by giving them another 10 days.
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Mon 14th Jun 2010
The decision to close St. Anne's Tip could well be 'called in' by the Liberal Democrat Group on Lancashire Country Council. A 'call in' requires the council to reconsider the decision that has been made and could even cause the decision to be overturned !! Local Conservatives realise that this facility closure is a real voter loser, with the 2011 borough elections due about a month after the proposed closure date.
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Fri 4th Jun 2010
In the Crowmarsh Ward of South Oxfordshire District Council, Liberal Democrat John Griffin secured a 10% swing away from the Conservatives to take the seat. In the other major local authority by elections, for St Albans District Council & Hertfordshire County Council, held on 3rd June Liberal Democrats successfully defended their seats.
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Thu 3rd Jun 2010
At a full Council meeting on Thursday 27th May the Conservative controlled Lancashire County Council, with the support of the BNP, approved a radical reduction in the scrutiny function of Councillors. Scrutiny Committees enable opposition Councillors to hold the decisions of the Conservative administration to account. Leader of the LibDem group, CC Bill Winlow said, "This Conservative run Council has reduced the powers of opposition Councillors so as we cannot effectively scrutinize the sweeping cuts the Tories are raising their axe for. Not only does this reduce the quality of decisions made, but also strips back bench Councillors from holding the leader to account. It is a sad day for democracy in Lancashire and demonstrates the abuse of power when one party has such a massive majority." The electorate was so wise to deny the Conservatives absolute power at the General Election.
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Thu 3rd Jun 2010
Following Gordon Birtwistle's outstanding success in becoming the Liberal Democrat MP for Burnley, County Councillor Charlie Briggs has been elected leader of the Lib Dems on Burnley Council. CCllr Briggs said: " To give this position the time required I have stepped down from being Leader of the Lancashire LibDems.". Next week Cllr Briggs may also be elected overall leader of Burnley Council. County Councillor Bill Winlow has been elected as the new leader of the Liberal Democrats group on Lancashire County Council. Responding, Bill said: "I thank my group for their unanimous support. Whilst we have a coalition national government, the facts are we will continue to hold this Conservative administration at County Hall to account". Bill gained a great result in Fylde at the General Election & remains our Parliamentary spokesman. CC Margaret Brindle was elected as the Deputy Leader, with CC Alan Knox elected Secretary and CC Mark Jewell elected as Group Whip.
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Mon 31st May 2010
Three seats were up for grabs at the deferred election for the Haverstock Ward Of Camden London Borough Council. Liberal Democrats were successful in all three.
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Mon 31st May 2010
Cllr Atkinson from Clitheroe, almost 40 miles away, will be the one who makes the decision that will seal the fate of St. Anne's tip! Despite being invited he hasn't visited the site to date. Please contact him with your views about the proposed closure. albert.atkinson@lancashire.gov.uk. Local Conservative Councillors have now joined the campaign against closure. It was a pity they didn't join the Liberal Democrats back in February when we were at the tip gates gathering signatures on a petition to keep it open. The Conservative controlled Lancashire County Council are now looking at some form of waste transfer/ waste management facility to replace it, or planning to locate one at the new Whitehills Business Park or on the Queensway Industrial Estate. Isn't it lucky that at National level we have a coalition to moderate the sort of nonsense the Conservatives go in for when left to themselves. Please look at Tony Ford's & Howard Henshaw's blogs via the links to get the full story on this & other local issues.
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Mon 24th May 2010
Apart from scheduled local elections on May 6th there were also over 50 local council by-elections, just to thoroughly confuse everybody. The good news was that Liberal Democrat candidates took six seats from Conservatives in other Councils, notably Sue Ng in the Haywards Heath Heath Ward of Mid Sussex District Council. Overall we held our own in these elections. It will be interesting to see what happens when things settle down.
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Mon 17th May 2010
The Liberal Democrat Special Conference in Birmingham today overwhelmingly approved the party's Coalition Agreement with the Conservative Party.
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Mon 17th May 2010
Less than 24 hours into their historic coalition, the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition announced a commitment to reduce the entire carbon footprint of central government by 10% in a year.
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Archive of earlier News Stories.
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