Nick Clegg calls for whistleblower protection to be restored

The public interest defence for civil service whistleblowers should be restored, Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg told the Institute of Government.

Providing this protection will strengthen the independence of the civil service and would aid officials speaking out on issues in the public interest, as with the dubious legality of the invasion of Iraq.

In his speech Nick Clegg said:

“The Chilcot Inquiry is a powerful reminder of the ambiguity that can surround the role of officials and the ease with which they can be dictated to by politicians.

“Where national security is concerned officials should act with the national interest in mind. But where there is clear need to speak out in the public interest – as with the dubious legality of the war in Iraq – officials must know they can do so free from prosecution.

“The number one responsibility of civil servants must be to the people of Britain, not self serving Ministers. 

“That is why the Liberal Democrats would amend the Official Secrets Act to restore the public interest defence for whistleblowers that was originally removed by the Conservatives.

“If that protection had been in place when the fateful decision was taken to invade Iraq Tony Blair and Gordon Brown might have been more openly challenged by officials who harboured real doubts about the war.

“But without cast iron protection for whistleblowers, it was too easy for this government to bully and cajole the civil service into remaining silent about one of the greatest errors of any government in the post war period.”
 

Council told to play fair on WHQS vote

Liberal Democrat activists are concerned to find that Neath Port Talbot officers are not providing the level playing-field required for a fair choice by council tenants.

Sources within the "No" campaign complain that:

• the council has still not provided the geographically-order list of properties promised six months ago;
• people who display "No" posters have been told that they are illegal and they have to be taken down;
• tenants who have returned "no" forms have been been visited by council officers and asked to change their mind to the extent that some have felt intimidated.

There is an independent tenants advisory. Officers should not be arguing for or against transfer, if they do, they are out of order.

We need more information on Sarah’s Law trials – Huhne

Commenting on the announcement by Home Secretary Alan Johnson that Sarah’s Law could be extended nationally after four trial schemes, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary Chris Huhne said:

“We need far more information about these trials before they are rolled out across the country.

“The concern is that this will do nothing for the safety of children and could even lead to an increase in sex offenders.”

Osborne lied on Conservative bank break-up policy

As Stephen Tall writes on Liberal Democrat Voice, the Conservatives did not propose radical banking reform last July as they now claim, but: "It’s pretty clear when the Tories decided to champion breaking up the banks: when President Obama made his announcement – in the hope that they can coat-tail on his ‘change we can believe in’ schtick"!

Vince Cable put forward a policy of splitting up our big banks as long ago as November 2008.

Another dubious employment selection by Peter Hain

From today's Independent:

The fresh-faced adviser with a vicious bite

Congratulations to David Taylor on his appointment as special adviser to the Welsh Secretary, Peter Hain. You can see why a cabinet minister might want to keep him on side ahead of a general election.

Mr Taylor may look young, but he was previously used as a Blairite attack dog. When a website dedicated to rubbishing Clare Short for attacking Tony Blair began attracting traffic six years ago, people were astonished to learn that its creator was an 18-year-old student from Wrexham named David Taylor.

His other web creations include a site set up in 2006 to defend Blair against those plotting to get him out of Downing Street. But last year, just before the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy, which killed 96 Liverpool supporters, Taylor posted this on his website: "Who do I hate most – Chelsea or Liverpool? Liverpool, obviously. You'll never walk again." That last sentence was a sick chant that was directed at Liverpool supporters after the incident. If Mr Hain is wise, he will keep a close watch over his new employee.

Let's hope that David Taylor turns out to be a more clever selection than Steve Morgan, who ran Mr Hain's failed Labour deputy leadership campaign which committed a breach of electoral law, or Phil Taylor, his controversial special adviser.

Nick Clegg launches youth jobs pledge

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg will today use a new and social media initiative co-hosted by the UK Youth Parliament to launch the party’s youth jobs manifesto pledge. 

On the day that new statistics show the number of young people unemployed for more than six months has doubled in two years, Nick Clegg will announce the party’s plans using Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

The proposals would ensure young people do not spend more than 90 days on Jobseekers Allowance before they get more training, education, an internship or a place on a work programme. 

Today’s announcement forms the next step in the Liberal Democrats’ economic stimulus and job creation package. The plans will invest almost £900m in increasing the number of further education places, giving students financial support to return to college and creating a paid internship scheme.

Commenting Nick Clegg said:

“Young people feel cheated by this recession. 

“Everyone knows someone who has recently left college or university with hopes of starting a career only to find they cannot even get on the lowest rung of the job ladder. 

“We must help them now or they will be left behind in any recovery. 

“Our promise of more training, education, an internship or a place on a work programme will give hope to the nearly one million young people who currently can’t find a job. 

“Facebook, YouTube and Twitter play just as important a role as TV or newspapers in young people’s lives. Politicians can’t ignore new and social media if they want to connect with the next generation of voters.” 

Brown-shaped hole in Iraq evidence – Davey

Commenting on Geoff Hoon’s evidence to the Iraq Inquiry that the armed forces were starved of cash before the war, having to rely on ‘urgent operational requirements’ for kit, Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary, Edward Davey said: 

“Once again we can see Gordon Brown’s fingerprints all over this, but no sign of the man himself. He would have been instrumental in signing – or in some cases not signing – the cheques for military kit.

“The Prime Minister should appear before the Iraq Inquiry before the election to give voters an informed choice. Instead we are being left with a huge Gordon Brown-shaped hole in the evidence.”

Temporary spikes and dips

Yesterday's figures from the Department for National Statistics showed the Consumer Price Index surging to 2.9% in December. Vince Cable commented: 

“These figures are almost certainly a temporary spike. 

“With inflation expected to fall quickly, it seems unlikely that the Bank of England would want to raise interest rates in the near future.

“Any recovery in the economy is still very fragile, it would be all too easy to destroy it by putting the brakes on too soon. 

“However, the MPC still needs to be acutely aware of the longer term inflationary dangers. 

“With the world economy improving at a much quicker rate than the UK, there is a danger that high food and energy prices could hit our economy before it has had chance to recover.” 

Frank Little, prospective candidate for  Neath at the general election, added: "It is almost certain that the fall in unemployment, reported today, is sadly also a one-off. Not only have the already announced redundancies yet to show up in the figures, but retail activity is bound to slow as VAT returns to its 2008 level. Then there are the unannounced, but likely, sackings in the West Midlands resulting from the takeover of Cadbury, and similar cost-saving measures by multi-nationals as they try to restore their profitability.

"The potential employment gains from Toyoda in Gorseinon do not compensate for the 900 losses at Bosch in Cardiff."

Baby Peter case review still not made public

Lynne Featherstone, the local MP, who has been pressing for the publication, sees some progress.

Libel tourism makes a mockery of British justice

In a speech today on the relationship between science and politics to the Royal Society, Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg called for a reform of libel laws. 

“I am deeply concerned about the stifling effect English libel laws are having on scientific debate.

"The freedom to evaluate critically the work of others is the essence of good quality research. 

“Of course people have the right to protect their reputations from damaging and false statements made recklessly, irresponsibly or with malice. But scientists must be allowed to question claims fearlessly, especially those that relate to medical care, environmental damage and public safety, if we are to protect ourselves against dubious research practices, phoney treatments and vested corporate interests.

“English libel law as it stands is obstructing that process and threatens the public good as a result.

“The prospect of a costly, protracted legal battle hangs over journalists, editors and academics seeking to ask basic questions about the evidence for practices they believe may put people at serious risk. 

“Our libel law and practice have turned a country once famed for its traditions of freedom and liberty into a legal farce where people and corporations with money can impose silence on others at will. 

"I believe in raucous freedom of speech, not gagging orders in our courts. Libel tourism is making a mockery of British justice, with foreign plaintiffs able to bring cases against foreign defendants when the publications in question may have sold just a handful of copies in England.” 

Only one DNA profile removed from database a day – Holmes

Just 377 DNA profiles were removed from the DNA database last year despite there being an estimated 1m innocent people’s profiles held, research by the Liberal Democrats has found.

More than 5m profiles are held on the database in total. The European Court of Human Rights ruled in December 2008 that the retaining of innocent people’s DNA is illegal.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson, Paul Holmes said:

“ It is a disgrace that we have got a million innocent people on the database in the first place and it is a disgrace that people are not being taken off.

“A lot of people are absolutely furious about this. The court ruling went their way and yet nothing is happening.

“Police forces have got the discretion to remove profiles, yet some are and some aren’t.”

Sudden cuts could plunge the economy into a prolonged recession- Cable

Responding to George Osborne's admission that the Conservatives would begin to cut spending immediately after the General Election if they won. Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said:

"Nobody doubts that serious budget discipline will be required in the coming years in order for Britain to maintain its credit worthiness, but it's foolish to set a political timetable with no regard for the state of the economy.

"There's a big risk that if cuts begin suddenly and on a purely political basis that the economy will be plunged back into prolonged recession.

"What is needed is a set of clear economic tests, which include the growth of the economy and employment, as well as conditions in international markets, to judge when contraction of spending should begin or be accelerated."

Earlier, Vince had commented on evidence given to the Treasury Select Committee today by the Chief Executives of RBS and Lloyds:

“Bankers tell us that their bonuses are a reward for their skills and ingenuity.

“At the moment, this seems to involve borrowing taxpayers’ money at half a percent from the Bank of England and then lending it back to us at eight, 10 or even 20 percent.

“It’s hard to find the skill in that and even harder to see how bankers feel that they have a right to collect bonuses for it.

“This is yet more proof that Labour’s badly designed bonus tax is having no effect on bonus payouts.

“The best way to deal with bonuses and achieve a fair deal for the taxpayer, who guarantee these institutions, is to split the banks up. Before this is done an additional 10% levy on their profits should be introduced.

“This is a much more effective solution than a one-off windfall tax and recognises the debt that the banks owe to the taxpayer.”

Nick Clegg letter to Gordon Brown urging Iraq Inquiry appearance before election

Following yesterday’s Prime Minister’s Questions, Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg is writing to Gordon Brown, urging him to indicate to the Chilcot Inquiry that he would prefer to appear before it ahead of the election.

The text of the letter is as follows:

Dear Gordon,

I am writing to urge you to indicate immediately to Sir John Chilcot that it is your strong preference to go before the Iraq Inquiry ahead of the General Election.

Following developments yesterday at Alastair Campbell’s hearing, your personal role in the decisions that led to the war in Iraq has now come under the spotlight. The notion that your hearing should take place after the election in order that the Inquiry remains outside of party politics therefore no longer holds. On the contrary, the sense that you have been granted special treatment because of your position as Prime Minister will only serve to undermine the perceived independence of the Committee.

As I said to you across the floor of the Commons today, people have a right to know the truth about the part you played in this war before they cast their verdict on your Government’s record. I urge you to confirm publicly that should Sir John Chilcot invite you to give evidence to the Inquiry ahead of the election you will agree to do so.

Nick Clegg

Assembly Member to hold advice surgeries in Neath and Glynneath

The Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West, Peter Black, will be holding his first two advice surgeries of the year this week.

Mr. Black will be in Glynneath Library on Friday 15th January from 3pm to 4pm. He will then be available at Neath Central Library from 4.30pm to 5.30pm.

No appointment is necessary.

Clegg intends to treat the voters as adults

In a speech today, Nick Clegg laid down the direction of the Liberal Democrats' election campaign. It is clear that the party will treat the voters as adults, being brutally honest where necessary. He said:

"The Liberal Democrats start this election year with a different assumption [from Labour and the Conservatives]: voters know the game’s up for the old politics. 

"Shopping lists of pledges don’t wash any more. The politics of plenty are over. 

"Voters will have no time for implausible promises. But neither are they interested in relentless prophecies of doom and despair. 

"Faced with these new circumstances, I start from three simple beliefs: 

"First, treat voters like grown ups. People know that the country faces one of the greatest crises in our public finances in generations. They know that difficult decisions must be taken. So they want politicians to spell out their priorities, spell out the choices, rather than live in denial about the dilemmas we face. 

"Vince Cable and I have gone further than any other politicians in spelling out some of the steps which must now be taken to address the deficit and redirect money to our priorities: a 10% levy on banks profits as long as they are underwritten by the taxpayer; no to the like-for-like replacement of Trident; an end to tax credits to above average income families; cancelling the Government’s Baby Bond scheme; a £400 cap on all public sector pay increases. 

"These cuts and revenue raising measures are, in our view, unavoidable if we are to persuade people that we are serious about tackling Gordon Brown’s astronomical deficit, let alone generate the resources we need for our social and political priorities. 

"Second, the importance of conviction. I have heard the claim that at a time of crisis in the Government’s finances, values and conviction must take a back seat to the immediate task of balancing the books. 

"I strongly disagree. 

"I do not believe it is possible to balance the books and transform British society, unless you are guided by strong values which guide you through the difficult choices which now must be made. 

"People will support a party that is realistic about the difficult decisions ahead, but guided by optimism and clear convictions about the way forward. 

"The party that will win the argument this year is the party which finds a way of marrying credibility and hope, restraint and generosity, discipline and compassion. 

"And, third, stick to the big ideas. The coming election will be no ordinary election. For once, the hype about the future of Britain being at stake is true. 

"Elections should be an opportunity for us all to ask: where next? - and for voters to choose. 

"The next Government will not only need to deal with the immediate crisis in the public finances. 

"It must reinvent our rotten political system, heal the social divisions which still thwart the hopes of millions, and put our economy on a new, more balanced, more sustainable footing. 

"None of this can be achieved if we merely tinker at the edges. Talk of change is cheap. Delivering big, permanent change is the real challenge. "

Conservative tax proposals incoherent or unfair

Commenting on David Cameron’s admission that he ‘messed up’ over his plans for a marriage tax break, Nick Clegg’s Chief of Staff, Danny Alexander MP, said: 

“David Cameron didn’t just mess up because he blundered in an interview, he messed up because his policy is incoherent and fundamentally unfair. 

“It is unfair because it gives tax breaks to married couples where one person can afford to stay at home, but does nothing for couples who both work.

“It is unfair because a family that loses one parent will have their tragedy compounded by an effective tax rise.

“And it is unfair because ultimately it takes money from the pockets of poorer families and gives it to rich ones.

“When the country is mired in recession and public finances are in a dire state, this is a mess that we cannot afford.

“Labour has failed to deliver fairness and the Tories can’t be trusted to make the country fairer. Only the Liberal Democrats will build a fairer Britain.”

Liberal Democrat MP calls for more gas storage

After the announcement that a second gas balancing alert went out today, the demand by John Hemming for more gas storage capacity to be provided, and, in the mean time, for imports to be increased, has become more urgent.

Mr Hemming has been concerned about UK's gas supply situation for many years.

Liberal Democrats up for real change, not up for sale.

Nick Clegg pledges that there are no backroom deals or under-the-counter “understandings” with either of the other two UK parties. He restates the core values of the Liberal Democrats as fairness in society and real change in politics.

Brown should face Iraq inquiry music

Commenting on today’s statement from Sir John Chilcott which reveals that Gordon Brown, David Miliband and Douglas Alexander will not appear before the Iraq inquiry until after the election, Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary, Edward Davey said: “Giving special treatment to Labour ministers not only undermines the perception of independence of the inquiry but will damage the public’s trust in politics further still.

“This looks like a deal cooked up in Whitehall corridors to save Gordon Brown and his ministers from facing the music.

“Gordon Brown signed the cheques for the Iraq war, and he should explain that decision before polling day.

“British soldiers will not be impressed by a Prime Minister unwilling to step into the firing line.”

Lib Dems will fight for fair bank charges in Parliament

Commenting on the OFT’s decision to drop its investigation into the fairness of bank overdraft charges, Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said:

“This is extremely disappointing and a blow for millions of bank customers.

“Having come so close to overhauling an unfair system of charging that penalises vulnerable groups of people, I know that the campaign will not just stop.

“The Liberal Democrats will continue the fight for fair bank charges in Parliament and push for a change in the law if necessary so that high street banks cannot keep ripping off their customers.”

Significant local by-elections

Frank Little writes:

I was waiting for one of the sites which I regularly visit to comment on these results, but surprisingly none of them picked up on them.

By-Election Results: Thursday 10th December 2009.

Bedford BC, Kingsbrook
LD Andrew Gerard 661 (49.4; +3.1)
Lab 370 (27.6; +3.5)
Con 150 (11.2; -9.2)
Others Ind 85 / Ind 73 (11.8; +11.8)
[Green (0.0; -9.2)]
Majority 291
Turnout 13%
LD hold
Percentage change is since June 2009.

East Dunbartonshire UA, (Ward number 3) Bearsden South
LD Ashay Ghai 1110 (29.4; +3.0)
Con 1261 (33.4; +9.0)
SNP 783 (20.7; +1.6)
Lab 626 (16.6; -2.7)
[Green (0.0; -5.1)]
[Others (0.0; -5.7)]
Turnout not known.
LD gain from Con.
Percentage change is since May 2007.

[STV process details redacted ;-)]


Hastings BC, St Helens
Con 609 (40.7; -17.9)
Lab 550 (36.7; +12.5)
LD John Tunbridge 210 (14.0; -3.2)
BNP 93 (6.2; +6.2)
Others (English Democrats) 36 (2.4; +2.4)
Majority 59
Turnout 37.4%
Con hold
Percentage change is since May 2008.

Nuneaton and Bedworth BC, Camp Hill
Lab 670 (47.1; +17.0)
BNP 478 (33.6; -2.6)
Con 275 (19.3; -9.7)
[Others (0.0; -4.7)]
Majority 192
Turnout 27.6%
Lab gain from BNP
Percentage change is since May 2008.

Peterborough BC, West
Con 1252 (58.4; +4.1)
Lab 341 (15.9; +0.9)
LD Virginia McDermid 224 (10.4; +7.4)
UKIP 177 (8.3; +8.3)
Others (English Democrats) 93 (4.3; -20.1)
Green 58 (2.7; -0.5)
Majority 911
Turnout 34%
Con hold
Percentage change is since May 2008.

Rushmoor BC, Heron Wood
Lab 437 (41.6; +11.6)
LD Philip Thompson 354 (33.7; -8.1)
Con 259 (24.7; -3.5)
Majority 83
Turnout 22%
Lab gain from LD
Percentage change is since May 2008.

West Devon BC, Tavistock South
LD Kirstie Clish-Green 523 (45.8; +33.5)
Con 450 (39.4; +13.6)
Ind 170 (14.9; -47.1)
Majority 73
Turnout not known
LD gain from Con
Percentage change is since May 2007.

Westminster LBC, Queens Park
Lab 814 (62.6; +10.2)
Con 211 (16.2; -13.7)
Green 152 (11.7; +11.7)
LD Mark Blackburn 123 (9.5; -8.1)
Majority 603
Turnout not known
Lab hold
Percentage change is since May 2006.

Weymouth and Portland BC, Wyke Regis
Lab 579 (40.1; +3.9)
Con 486 (33.7; -30.1)
LD Trefor Morgan 268 (18.6; +18.6)
Citizens Party 111 (7.7; +7.7)
Majority 93
Turnout 33.41%
Lab gain from Con
Percentage change is since May 2008.

Wyre Forest DC, Areley Kings
Lab 544 (38.3; +5.5)
Independent Community Health Concern 421 (29.6; -2.4)
Con 394 (27.7; -7.5)
UKIP 63 (4.4; +4.4)
Majority 56
Turnout 30.96%
Lab gain from Con
Percentage change is since May 2008.

Goole TC, North
Lab 358 (42.0)
LD Brian Knight 322 (37.8)
UKIP 172 (20.2)
Majority 36
Turnout 17.7%
Lab hold

Hythe TC, West
Con 556 (54.4)
LD Neil Matthews 466 (45.6)
Majority 90
Turnout 34.6%
Con hold

Ivybridge TC, Ivybridge Woodlands
Ind 226 (55.7)
Ind 180 (44.3)
Majority 46
Turnout 11.87%
Ind hold

Rustington PC, East
LD Jamie Bennett elected unopposed.
LD gain from Con.

Stourpoint TC, Areley Kings West
Independent Community Health Concern 294 (41.9)
Con 238 (33.9)
Lab 136 (19.4)
UKIP 34 (4.8)
Majority 56
Turnout 33.86%
Ind gain from Con


This was the first Thursday for many weeks on which so many by-elections took place. It is therefore possible to get a better picture of what is happening out there than from the usual ones and twos.

The first thing to note is that there is no consistent swing to the Conservatives. Indeed, their vote share went down in twice as many contests as it went up. Secondly, Labour is making gains once again, while we are continuing to hold our own (two gains, one loss, in this batch of results).

These are real polls, not newspaper opinion surveys. The professionals are aware of this, hence the increasing confidence shown by Gordon Brown at PMQs, the exhortation by Eric Pickles to Conservative party workers to redouble their efforts and the attempts by both parties to woo Liberal Democrat voters. This may also be the reason for the speculation about a general election earlier than the generally accepted date of May 6th.

Of course, national media coverage will be more important at the general election. The money flowing to the Conservatives (only a few years after it looked they might have to sue for bankruptcy!) and away from Labour is going to enable them to raise their profile. Even so, it looks increasingly unlikely that Labour's overall majority of 60-odd is going to be reversed by the Conservatives.

But for me the most significant result was the BNP failing to hold Camp Hill in Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough. This did not seem to register with the national press, who delight in talking up the BNP. To be fair, one Sun reader drew attention to the fact that BNP has great difficulty in holding on to council seats.

1,000 children held at detention centres for more than a month

Nearly a thousand children have been held in detention centres for longer than 28 days in the last five and a half years, research by the Liberal Democrats has found.

The information, revealed in a Parliamentary answer, shows:

889 children from 488 families were referred to a Minister for authorisation to be detained beyond 28 days between 2004/05 and 2009/10

A record number - 212 children from 122 families - were detained last year (2008/09)

Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne has also written to Alan Johnson to raise the plight of children in detention centres.

Commenting, Chris Huhne said: “These are the most extreme and most worrying cases out of nearly 500 children who appear to be detained at any one time.

“It is a moral stain on this country’s proud reputation in accepting refugees that we are routinely locking up children for months at a time even though they have committed no crime.

We are physically and psychologically harming children completely unnecessarily, as Sweden, Canada and Australia have shown there are a host of alternatives to detention.

“It is astonishing that Ministers can say this only happens in exceptional circumstances when they have personally signed off hundreds of cases.

“It is profoundly un-British to lock up innocent children at any time, but particularly poignant at Christmas.

“The Government must find its long lost moral compass and end the detention of children in immigration centres.”

Update 2009/12/22 The "Free Movement" web-site which comments on asylum and immigration law reports that the United Kingdom Borders Agency is already operating a more draconian procedure which does not officially come into force until 11th January 2010. "The new policy is, of course, couched in the weasely words and siren sounds one comes to expect of UKBA press releases and policy documents. The section that most sticks in the throat (there is competition) is about a so-called ‘best interests’ policy for not giving children any notice of their impending removal. Apparently it is in their best interests only to find out when they rock up at the airport. The modern UKBA tendency to dress up way they want to do as what they should do in the best interests of children is a disgraceful development."

No backtracking on promise to abolish tuition fees

Peter Black has the story.

Bandying around big numbers no substitute for just climate agreement

Commenting on Hillary Clinton’s announcement that the US might cooperate in a $100bn-a-year climate fund as talks in Copenhagen appeared close to deadlock, Liberal Democrat Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Simon Hughes said:

“For all the diplomatic brinkmanship, it is alarming that ministers in Copenhagen are increasingly pessimistic about the chances of a comprehensive agreement.

“World leaders should not be tempted to sign a watered-down declaration in order to save face.

“Poor and developing nations have the right to insist on generous and guaranteed adaptation funds to help deal with the harms that they will suffer most from climate change.

“Bandying around fine words and big numbers is no substitute for a just agreement. This must include mechanisms that put the world firmly on course for a low-carbon future."

Aberavon & Neath Liberal Democrats response to boundary change proposals

Speaking in the Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council debate last Wednesday, Cllr Frank Little (Cadoxton), said:

"I apologise on behalf of our group leader, Cllr Keith Davies, who cannot be with us today, but he has left me a bit of a history lesson.

"We must not forget the changes that were made at the 1983 district elections, breaking up large multi-member wards, with the specified aim of an improvement in accountability. This was reinforced when the former West Glamorgan County Council was reorganised for the 1989 election.

"We also draw attention to the letter to the Boundary Commission from the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government. Dr Gibbons stresses 'the need to fix boundaries which are easily identifiable and which recognise local community ties'.

"These local ties have worked well, giving greater accountability and democracy here in the county borough, and the county before it, for twenty years.

"The changes proposed by the Boundary Commission increase the number of multi-member wards for no good reason other than fitting a mathematical formula, which the leader of our group on the Welsh LGA claims they do not understand anyway. Some of the resulting boundaries are ridiculous and result in wards being divided by geography.

"Madam mayor, I accept that change is inevitable in ward boundaries, as some communities grow, and some shrink. I also accept that one or two of the existing wards , where there are none of the special circumstances identified in the council's original response, are probably too small to justify a councillor to themselves.

"However, the Commission's proposals disregard the clearly-expressed opinion of the elected minister and would set back local democracy for a generation. I personally prefer negotiation and compromise to confrontation. If the Boundary Commission's proposals were reasonable, I would suggest responding with reasoned amendments. But they are so unrealistic that I have no hesitation in supporting the Council's proposal to reject them outright, and the terms in which Mr Graham's letter of rejection is couched."

Disastrous fire at Afan Lido

The Afan Leisure complex was severely damaged and surrounding homes and facilities disrupted by a fire which started last night. There is more news, with comments, here. We note that the Neath Port Talbot cabinet has given a virtually open-ended commitment to a complete restoration.

Who rates the rating agencies?

Chris Huhne asks the question on Liberal Democrat Voice.

Cameron’s tax plan is a sham – Huhne

 Commenting on David Cameron’s plans to bar people who do not pay full UK tax from Parliament and the Government, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: 

“David Cameron’s plan is a sham. The super rich like Lord Ashcroft, Zac Goldsmith or Labour’s Lord Paul can be fully resident for tax purposes in the UK, but if they are able to opt for non-dom status they will not pay a penny in UK tax on their main fortune outside Britain.

“David Cameron has still failed to answer the key question: is Lord Ashcroft a non-dom, yes or no? If he is a non-dom, Cameron’s tax plan will not catch him.

“The only reason David Cameron is putting forward this plan now is because of the revelation that his high-profile candidate, Zac Goldsmith, has avoided an estimated £5.8 million in British taxes over the last ten years.

“It is the height of hypocrisy for the Tories to suggest a new law when they opposed Liberal Democrat Lord Oakeshott’s bill to stop non-doms sitting as peers.

“Someone who wants to pass laws about tax in this country ought to pay this country’s full taxes, and not hide behind the special offshore status of non-doms.

“Zac Goldsmith, even on the most conservative estimates, has avoided vast amounts of British tax by deploying the non-dom tax dodge. If he challenges our estimate of how much tax he has dodged, then I put to him a simple challenge: publish your tax returns for the last ten years, and I will publish mine.”

Change of top officers

The Chair of Aberavon & Liberal Democrats for the coming year is Helen Ceri Clarke. Frank Little assumes the Secretaryship. Other posts remain unchanged.

Double-counting even afflicts Labour expenses

A correspondent from a neighbouring constituency has spotted (on this site) that Huw Irranca-Davies, MP for Ogmore and Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs made a single donation to the Royal British Legion and claimed for it twice on expenses.

Lib Dems push to delete Henry VIII clause in Digital Economy Bill

Liberal Democrat peer, Tim Clement-Jones has tabled an amendment to the Digital Economy Bill to delete controversial Clause 17 which would allow the Government to change copyright law in the future without further debate or scrutiny.

Lord Clement-Jones said:

"This clause would give the Government carte-blanche to change all copyright law relating to the internet as and when they please.

“Such powers are unnecessary and over-reaching and we have tabled an amendment to delete Clause 17.”

Small businesses let down by Government’s cavalier attitude to investment

Commenting on today’s National Audit Office report on the Government’s venture capital support schemes for small businesses, Liberal Democrat Shadow Business Secretary, John Thurso said: 

“The report’s findings make shocking reading.

“The Government has created 28 different funds using taxpayers’ money for nine years without any idea of what it wants to achieve. No private investor would demonstrate such a cavalier attitude to investment.

“Funds created by Government are performing significantly worse than their private sector equivalents. The £74m invested in Regional Venture Capital Funds has lost 92% of its value.

“We need to connect private investors with promising businesses by creating Local Enterprise Funds and Regional Stock Exchanges so that Government facilitates investment rather than squandering it.”

Vince Cable on the PBR

Vince Cable's statement on the Pre-Budget Report is here, and he imitates The Man in Black on video here.

Those parliamentary expenses

The latest report is here.

If you're a student, make sure your vote counts

Matthew Smith has advice at Freedom Central.

Conservatives reduce target seat expectations

Liberal Democrat Voice reports that Cheadle MP Mark Hunter is one of those cheering as the Times asserts that the Conservatives have realised that many of the seats they hoped to win at the 2010 general election are beyond their reach, and have therefore scaled back their campaigns in the less marginal ones.

Government misled us over rendition

Commenting on Reprieve’s claims that the Government misled Parliament over the rendition of two suspects from Iraq to Afghanistan, Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary, Edward Davey said: 

“The Government appears to have misled Parliament over a number of facts that were central to its attempted defence of the rendition of these prisoners. 

“Parliament was never given enough detail on this incident in the first place. Bob Ainsworth must come to the House of Commons and set the record straight. 

“This is clearly an area that Sir John Chilcot should consider as part of his ongoing inquiry. The public will be very disappointed if he does not tackle the matter of detention and treatment of Iraqi prisoners head on.”

Liberal Democrats on public sector pay

Speaking ahead of Wednesday's pre-budget report by Chancellor Darling, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable announced Liberal Democrat proposals for restraint and fairness in public sector pay. 

The proposals would cap public sector pay rises at £400 per person to limit the growth of the public sector pay bill while ensuring fairness for teachers, nurses, police officers and other public sector workers.

The progressive measure will save taxpayers about £4bn a year while reducing pressure on front line services and protecting jobs.

Commenting Vince Cable said:

“Public sector pay makes up a quarter of all public spending so any serious and credible attempt to limit spending must include proposals on pay rises. 

“Unlike the Tories who would freeze the salaries of millions of teachers, police officers, nurses and firemen while cutting taxes for millionaires, these proposals would ensure pay rises for key frontline services that are fair and economically realistic.”

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson, Jeremy Browne addressed Gordon Brown’s speech on efficiency savings in Government. He said that efficiency savings  were useless without fundamental reform . 

“Gordon Brown has spent over 12 years signing the cheques for an increasingly inefficient and centralised system of Whitehall bureaucracy.

“Greater efficiency is always welcome, but we will not get the improvements we need until there is fundamental reform in Whitehall.

“Central Government is too big, too powerful and too expensive. The Liberal Democrats would scrap entire departments and introduce massive decentralisation, making politics better, cheaper and more accountable.”

Lack of clarity in Labour and Tory approaches to banks – Cable

Commenting on Alistair Darling’s warnings that he will not be ‘held to ransom’ by the banks and George Osborne’s assertion that he wouldn’t rule out a windfall tax on bonuses, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said:

“There is a complete lack of clarity at the heart of the Labour and Tory approaches to banks.

“The simple and correct approach, since many banks are returning to high levels of profitability, is for banks to pay for the taxpayer guarantee that they currently enjoy.

“A 10% levy on bank profits would raise around £2bn in current conditions and would go to paying down the deficit.

“This is a much more effective solution than a one off levy and recognises the debt that the banks owe to the taxpayer.”

Cameron must stop avoiding the tax dodge question - Huhne

Commenting on David Cameron’s Politics Show interview, in which he tried to distinguish between the Commons and the Lords on whether non-dom tax status is acceptable, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

“Cameron’s talking nonsense to say that the Lords has no responsibility for the economy. Many Lords votes really matter for public spending and therefore tax.

“David Cameron must stop dodging the question of whether Lord Ashcroft is a full UK taxpayer.

“If it is wrong for a legislator in the Commons not to pay full UK tax, it is equally wrong for a legislator in the Lords not to pay full UK tax.

“David Cameron must answer the simple question: is Lord Ashcroft a non-dom or not?”

NHS IT programme has been disastrously flawed from the start – Lamb

Commenting on reports that the multi-billion-pound NHS IT programme is to be dramatically scaled back in the Pre-Budget Report, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said:

“This whole programme has been disastrously flawed from the start.

“It has held back the development of IT at a local level, cost billions and is running years behind schedule.

“Labour has been in denial for years and this is a belated and partial recognition of the scale of their failure.

“The truth is that the national programme should be abandoned in its entirety, subject to existing contractual obligations, and instead we should start building from the bottom.”

Up to 4,800 Aberavon people will benefit from Lib Dem tax plans

The Liberal Democrats have unveiled radical new tax plans to help millions of people across the country.

The party’s new tax plans will see tax cuts for millions of people, paid for by closing tax loopholes, making polluters pay and introducing a ‘mansion tax’ on homes worth over £2million.

Prospective parliamentary candidate for Aberavon, Keith Davies, said: "These are ambitious plans which will mean that up to 4,800 people in Aberavon pay no tax at all.

"In addition to this, a further 18,960 people in Aberavon will save £700 a year - giving them an extra £60 a month in their pay packets. The vast majority of taxpayers in Aberavon will benefit from our fair tax plans.”

Kirsty Williams, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said: “This will help more people who are feeling the pinch at the moment to get by – and boost the economy by making sure ordinary hard-working people are better off.

"It is time for a more fair and simple tax system - and it is clear that the Liberal Democrats are the only party with the plans to do this."

NHS drug shortages: over to you, Carwyn

In one of his last appearances as First Minister in the Welsh Assembly yesterday, Rhodri Morgan did not deny the difficulties the NHS in Wales had in supplying drugs. Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams put it to him at First Minister's Questions that suppliers were diverting even some essential medicines from Wales because they were able to receive better prices elsewhere. Far from disagreeing, Mr Morgan even added the example of New Zealand, another country which had a tough drug pricing regime. He did not propose a way out of the trouble, clearly preferring to leave it to his successor-elect, Carwyn Jones, to find a solution.

Hain solution to Barnett completely ignores the funding problem in Wales

Kirsty Williams dismisses empty promise by the Secretary of State.

Huhne condemns police DNA "fishing expeditions"

Commenting on the Human Genetics Commission’s review of the Government’s DNA database, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

“The Government’s cavalier attitude towards DNA retention has put us in the ridiculous situation where people are being arrested just to have their DNA harvested.

“Ministers make no distinction between innocence and guilt and as a result everyone is treated like a suspect.

“Innocent people should be removed from the database and there should be a frank discussion about its effectiveness.”

Nick Clegg did not say he preferred the Conservatives

The Lib Dems’ director of election communications, Jonny Oates, states categorically that Nick Clegg did not express a preference for dealing with the Tories over Labour. In rebutting yesterday’s inaccurate press reports, all Jonny had to do was to reproduce the transcript of what Nick actually said:

"In view of today’s press reports about a balanced parliament, I thought it would be useful to provide the text of what Nick said on the Andrew Marr show on Sunday. As you will see, these comments do not indicate any preference between the other two parties in the event of no party having an overall majority:

'I think it is an inevitable fact, it is just stating the obvious, the party which has got the strongest mandate from the British people will have the first right to seek to govern.

'I start from a very simple first principle – it is not Gordon Brown or David Cameron or Nick Clegg who are kingmakers in British politics – it’s the British people.

'So the votes of the British people are what should determine what happens afterwards.

'Whichever party have the strongest mandate from the British people, it seems to me obvious in a democracy they have the first right to seek to try and govern, either on their own or with others.'"

Those in a position to know also rebut the assertion by Mr Hain's office that Nick Clegg has been talking to the Conservative leadership about post-election arrangements. If Mr Hain has evidence to back up his claims, then let him produce it.

Government must reinstate funds for small charities – Willott

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Charities, Cardiff Central MP Jenny Willott, has called for the Government to reinstate the £750,000 it has diverted from a fund for small charities. She will be tabling an Early Day Motion on the subject. She explained:

“This decision is a major blow to many small charities who had been promised the money and made plans based on those promises.

“What is so appalling is the manner in which this has been done, with no warning or consultation. How does the Government expect to convince other public bodies to abide by the Compact when they treat charities in this way?

“The charity sector warned the Government that the Hardship Fund was too small when it was first set up. But to increase funding for one set of charities, by such a small amount, at the expense of so many other charities is shameful.

“The Government should reinstate these funds immediately.”

Valleys Plaid leader switches to "party of principle"

Mike Powell and the Pontypridd Liberal Democrats welcome Chris Rosser, town councillor and former chair of the local Plaid Cymru branch, to the party.

Prison officer strikes a failure of Government – Howarth

 Commenting on the wildcat prison officer strikes taking place at several prisons, Liberal Democrat Shadow Justice Secretary, David Howarth said: 

“Because of the unique position prison officers are in, the Government has a responsibility to ensure serious grievances are dealt with before officers feel they have no choice but to strike.

"Whatever the rights and wrongs of a particular strike action, the very fact that it has reached this point is a failure of Government.”

Welsh Liberal Democrats lead Assembly into cross party consensus on Copenhagen

Mick Bates, Assembly Member for Montgomery, relates how cross-party resolution was obtained over Wales' commitment to reduce our impact on climate change.

Kirsty calls for referendum action now

Kirsty Williams, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, says that the sooner the decision is taken to hold a referendum on the basis of the Report of the All Wales Convention, the better. Full story on Freedom Central.

Government has failed to audit state-owned banks' investments

Liberal Democrat Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Simon Hughes will today host a meeting in Parliament with campaigners against the extraction of oil from tar sands in Western Canada.

He will reveal documents showing that the Government has made no attempt to carry out any form of environmental or social audit into its investments in the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).

Commenting ahead of the meeting, Simon Hughes said:

“The Government’s failure to assess the social and environmental impacts of its investments in RBS demonstrates stunning negligence.

“As a majority shareholder the Government should use its power to ensure destructive environmental investments are not made.

“World leaders must work towards a treaty that will outlaw tar sands extraction, in the same way they came together to ban land mines, blood diamonds and cluster bombs.”

Shameful selling of personal mobile phone data

Commenting on the news that one of the UK’s major mobile phone companies has sold on millions of customer records, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

“This shameful incident shows the disdain with which some companies treat sensitive personal data.

“Stiffer penalties for those involved in serious data breaches, whether in the public or private sector, cannot be introduced soon enough.

“This sorry episode questions the Government’s wisdom in getting communications providers to hoard increasing amounts of information about us.”

Welsh Lib Dem challenges nationalists over council tax

Government figures show that local authorities have more than doubled the amount of money raised from Council Tax in the past decade.

Frank Little, prospective Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Neath, challenged Plaid Cymru to say whether they still supported the move to fair local taxation, or whether they had abandoned the policy with which they entered the last two elections. "Is keeping on the right side of Labour, and therefore ministerial seats in Cardiff, more important than axeing a regressive tax?" he asked.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary, Julia Goldsworthy said:

“Millions of families have struggled with Council Tax bills that have soared while Labour has tinkered at the edges.

“Both the Tories and Labour offer no serious alternative to a tax that has skyrocketed this decade.

“The Liberal Democrats would move to a fair system of local taxation based on people’s ability to pay.”

Spare us from preposterous ID cards promotion – Huhne

Commenting on the Government’s announcement that people from Manchester can now apply for an ID card as part of the pilot scheme, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

“Where once we were told ID cards would fight terrorism, crime and illegal immigration, they are now being touted as a billion pound way of helping students get into bars.

“The discredited ID cards scheme should be scrapped immediately and ministers spared from having to come up with ever more preposterous ways to promote them.”

Vince Cable says a banking levy would produce a fair deal for the taxpayer

The UK banks owe their very existence to the British taxpayer with the Governor of the Bank of England estimating that they have received the equivalent of £1 trillion in taxpayer support.

But it does not stop there. The banking industry is unique in having the taxpayer acting as a safety net. Until the banks can be successfully broken up, the Liberal Democrats believe that they should pay for the explicit guarantee that they receive.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable has today proposed creating a new levy on bank profits at a rate of 10%, with all the revenue raised (estimated next year to be around £2bn) going towards tackling the structural deficit.

Commenting, Vince Cable said:

"One trillion pounds worth of taxpayer support has gone into keeping the British banking industry afloat.

"We must find a way to split the banks so that the British public no longer props up ‘casino’ banking.

"Meanwhile, it is only right for the taxpayer to get a fair deal for the guarantee that they provide to the banking industry.

"A 10% levy on bank profits would be used to pay down the structural deficit that they are partly responsible for creating.

"The Government should use next month’s pre budget report to put forward this proposal so that banks recognise the explicit guarantee that they currently enjoy.

The draft budget

The budget settlement is being debated in the Assembly this afternoon. Freeview Channel 81 is showing the proceedings live until 18:30, with presumably a repeat at the weekend.

Welsh Liberal Democrats have published their outline budget, aimed at helping, not hindering, Wales during the recession.

Clegg calls for abolIition of pointless Queen's Speech

Speaking to the Independent, the Liberal Democrat leader called for an end to the charade of a Queen's Speech at the beginning of a "rump" parliament, which can last no more than 70 days before a general election is called, and has no chance of passing any worthwhile legislation.

Roger Roberts calls for fair voting rights for servicemen

Lord Roberts of Llandudno has drawn attention to the long-standing electoral discrimination against personnel serving in HM Forces. It has been calculated that as many as one-third of HM forces are not registered to vote.

The government has known about this problem for a long time, but has declined to do anything about it.

Johnson must apologise for misleading the Commons over Nutt sacking – Harris

The Liberal Democrats have formally asked the Home Secretary to apologise to the Commons for misleading statements concerning Professor David Nutt and the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs and to apologise to Professor Nutt for the unfair damage done to his reputation for the incorrect and unjustified allegations made about him.

In a formal complaint to the Home Secretary, Liberal Democrat Science Spokesperson, Dr Evan Harris accuses him of misleading the Commons and calls for him to make a quick apology and correction.

Commenting, Evan Harris said:

“Lord Drayson, the science minister, has now publicly criticised the Home Secretary for not consulting him over the matter and signalled that the Government would endorse a Code of Practice for ministers under which Professor Nutt would still be in his position.

“Yet three days after writing neither Professor Nutt nor I have had a sniff of retraction or apology from the Home Secretary.

“I will now be raising this in the House tomorrow.”

Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

“This letter sets out a series of errors that the Home Secretary made in his statement to the House on Monday. He needs urgently now to address those.”

Olympic contracts must be spread across regions – Foster

Commenting on the news that organisers of the 2012 Olympics are putting £700m of contracts out to tender, Liberal Democrat Shadow Sport Secretary, Don Foster said:

“Increasing opportunities for businesses from across the UK is a key part of the Government’s Olympic Legacy plan.

“The information released today shows that so far a disproportionate number of contracts have been awarded to businesses based in London and the South East.

“It is great that so many contracts are still up for grabs but officials need to make sure that more is done so that all areas of the country benefit.”

Billions lost through benefits fraud and error staggeringly unfair – Webb

Commenting on Government figures showing that £3bn in benefit expenditure last year was overpaid because of fraud and error, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Steve Webb said:

“The Government’s failure to get to grips with the over-complex benefits system is appalling, especially when so much is down to official error.

“It is staggeringly unfair that the taxpayer is forced to stump up billions of pounds just because officials are unable to administer a system of their own creation.

“The benefits system is crucial to help people in a recession. It cannot afford to lose money because of poor administration.

“The benefits system needs to be much simpler, not least so officials can understand it properly.”

£1,000 for a UK train journey is scandalous

Commenting on the first £1,000 train fare in Britain being revealed in a survey by the Evening Standard, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said:

“This is a very unwelcome landmark and will do nothing to encourage people to travel by train.

“When you can fly half way across Europe for £30, the idea that you can end up paying £1,000 for a train journey in Britain is absolutely scandalous.

“Not only are passengers being encouraged off the trains and into their cars, some considering this journey may decide they’d rather fly to Australia and back for half the price.”

(It was revealed that a walk-on first-class return from Cornwall to the Scottish Highlands by Cross-Country now costs over £1000)

Government should not rush to sell off banks

Commenting on Government plans to break up state-owned banks, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: 

“It is obviously right that British retail banking becomes more competitive in order to stop the continual ripping off of customers.

“But there’s no justification for a rapid sell off of state assets in the current depressed environment when the taxpayer will get a very poor deal.

“This is a long-term project and the most important priorities are to make sure banks lend to good customers, especially businesses, in order to stave off deepening recession and growing unemployment and that the taxpayer gets value for money.

“What is particularly worrying is the indication that Lloyds is trying to wriggle out of its agreement to maintain lending to good business customers. If it achieves its objectives this would be an appalling example of the short-term interests of banks being put ahead of national interests.”

It should be noted that the Swiss government made a profit of over 20% when it returned its shares in UBS to the private sector.

Johnson risks undermining Government science advice – Huhne

Commenting on the further resignations of Government drug advisers following the sacking of Professor David Nutt, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: 

“These are high profile and damaging resignations. If Alan Johnson does not backtrack quickly, he runs the risk not only of destroying his own Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs but also of undermining the integrity of scientific advice across Government.

“It is absurdly thin-skinned to suggest that a critical editorial in a peer-reviewed learned journal involves campaigning against Government policy. If ministers behave like this, no self-respecting academic will want to advise them.

“The most convincing recipe for bad policy-making – in the drugs area as in mad cow disease – is for politicians to insist on scientific advice that meets their prejudices rather than the facts. If Churchill had taken that view when listening to Lord Cherwell, we would have lost the war. Scientists must be able to tell truth to power.”

Government still breaching ECHR ruling

More than 90,000 innocent people have been added to the National DNA Database since the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that the practice was illegal, according to Liberal Democrat research.

The figures, contained in Parliamentary answers, show that:

· 433,752 DNA profiles have been added to the database since the ECHR ruling on 5 December last year – 1,480 per day;

· 5.5m profiles on the database relating to 4.8m people (13.3% are replicates);

· if we apply the Government’s 2008 estimate that 20.8% of people on the database are innocent to the current total, there are now more than 1m innocent people whose DNA is currently held, including 90,220 since the ruling;

· only 611 profiles have been removed from the database over that period.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, Jenny Willott said:

“It is appalling that the Government has allowed over a million innocent people to be added to the DNA database.

“Despite the European ruling that the practice is a breach of human rights, for every innocent DNA profile removed from the database, around 150 new ones are added.

“The Government’s attempt to store innocent people’s DNA for up to 12 years has been categorically slated by experts, forcing it into an embarrassing climb-down in Parliament.

“The Home Office needs to put an end to this scandal by removing all innocent people from the database once and for all.”

TA too important for political football – Harvey

Commenting on Gordon Brown’s U-turn over funding for the Territorial Army, Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, Nick Harvey, said:

“The state of the TA is much too important to be used as a political football in this way.

“It was a shocking error of judgement for the Government to have contemplated this cut in the first place.

“It is a sad fact that Gordon Brown’s moral compass has only managed to kick in in the face of opposition across the board.”

Not all Muslims are the same

There is a prompt demonstration of Nick Griffin's poor grasp on religious knowledge coming up this Saturday. The hard-line intolerant factions within Islam in Britain are a minority, as the British Muslims for Secular Democracy hope to show in London.

(What can we expect from a man who seems to believe - Question Time, last Thursday - that Christianity in Britain goes back to the Ice Age.)

Tory banking proposals are short term stop gap – Cable

 Commenting on the Tories’ call for High Street banks to ban the payment of bonuses of more than £2,000 in cash, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: 

“The Tories have been deeply ambivalent on the much more fundamental question of what we do about the future of the banking system. 

“They have not given full backing to Mervyn King’s proposals on splitting up the banks and these bonus proposals are short term, stop gap solutions designed to stem public anger but which fail to get to the heart of the problem. 

“The bonus pool in the banking system derives from the fact that the banks are making profits on the back of taxpayer guarantee. Until a properly regulated structure can be established, banks should be paying the taxpayer a premium for this guarantee.” 

Fresh Start

Kirsty Williams speech from Wrexham conference.

Welsh Lib Dem leader visits Biodiesel Company in West Wales

See Kirsty Williams video here.

Welsh conferences

The Welsh Liberal Democrats' autumn conference begins this weekend at Glyndwr University, Wrexham.

Next year's spring conference will take place between the evening of Friday, 5th February and the afternoon of Sunday, 7th Febuary in the Grand Theatre, Swansea.

Not all parties are the same

Liberal Democrat Voice has started a web page, which is being updated on the fly, devoted to the response of each Liberal Democrat MP to the Legg letters. So far, the total is less than that which just one Conservative MP, Ken Clarke, is adjudged to have been overpaid.

Speaking on Channel 4 news Nick Clegg called for a ban on MPs using public money in the property market. In an interview with Jon Snow, he said: “I have been saying for months, well before the expenses scandal even hit the front pages of the Daily Telegraph that one of the only ways to really fix this is to get MPs out of the property game altogether make sure they cannot use a penny of taxpayers money to buy or sell properties.”

“The most serious abuses in the system are those MPs that turn themselves from servants of their constituents into sort of spivvy property speculators where they are flipping from one property to the next for very, very large personal profits sometimes hundreds of thousands of pounds of profit and also the systematic evasion of capital gains tax.”

Update 2009-10-20: Ken Clarke was the victim of an arithmetical error in Sir Thomas Legg's office, and his true indebtedness is just over £1000 rather than £4000. It's still substantially larger than any amount a LibDem MP is accused of overclaiming.

BNP must face tougher questioning – Huhne

Commenting on reports that the BBC had subjected members of the BNP to ‘soft’ questioning, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

“The BBC must make sure that it is as quizzical and demanding of the BNP as its presenters are with everyone in politics.

“Now the BNP have got a foothold in elected office, the standard of questions into their position has to increase.

“There must be no soft rides.”

Neath Labour MP Peter Hain would prefer BBC not to give BNP any exposure at all. The Independent reports that his complaint to the corporation about Nick Griffin's imminent appearance on "Question Time" has prompted "a bitter split" with colleagues.

Wrong time to sell assets- Cable

Likening the Government's plan to sell off £16bn worth of assets in an attempt to shore up public finances to a "car boot sale", Vince Cable added: “It may well be that the sale of some assets is a sensible thing to do, but this is not the time to do it, because markets are very depressed. All our previous experience of government is that they sell off at the wrong time.”

Local Authorities are also angered that they will be expected to supply the bulk of asset sales (£11bn of the total), the government clawing back the money by reducing support grant. It is not clear at this time how the plans will affect Wales.

Britain can’t afford a new generation of dirty coal

Commenting on the admission by E.ON’s UK boss that a new coal power plant at Kingsnorth in Kent would be unlikely to install clean coal technology in time to meet the Government’s 2014 deadline, Simon Hughes said:

“Kingsnorth II is now a dead duck. This disclosure should put it out of the running for Government funding. If Kingsnorth doesn’t withdraw itself from the CCS pilot shortlist, it should be removed.

“We need to have a carbon capture demonstration plant up and running by 2014 in order to roll out the technology across the sector by 2020. The Government has already repeatedly dithered over this project, the last thing we need is yet more delay.

“The UK has a great chance to lead the world in the development of carbon capture technology. Kingsnorth must not be allowed to get in the way.”

(In its environment statement - section 3 of this document - E.ON states merely that "Deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) [...] will be considered as an option for GHG emission reduction at the Kingsnorth site by E.ON UK at a later date."

In the mean time, the French have beaten us - and probably the rest of the world - in fitting carbon capture and storage facilities to an operational power station. The Guardian had the story in April. - FHL)

So, farewell then, Port Talbot & Neath Guardians

Today's issue of the Neath and Port Talbot Guardian is the last. We may have criticised local media on occasions, but we feel this is a sad day for local democracy. An outlet for local news and opinions has been lost.

For large areas of the county borough, there is now no newspaper with even nominal links to the area. The South Wales Guardian continues to serve the north-western towns and villages, it appears, but favours Carmarthenshire. The Evening Post is Swansea-orientated and printed in England. The Western Mail is edited in Cardiff.