Welsh Lib Dems attack 'colossal waste of money' on Williams Commission

A Freedom of Information request by the Welsh Liberal Democrats found that a total of £130,332.51 was spent on the Williams Commission, not including staff costs funded from core funds. Peter Black AM, the Welsh Liberal Democrat shadow local government minister, said: “For Labour Ministers to spend over £130,000 to set up a Commission, only to then completely ignore its recommendations, is a colossal waste of money. Why go through the effort and expense of a full consultation if the response is just going to be ignored? “Labour Ministers have been stubborn on this issue from the outset – it’s their way or else. Sometimes they seem to forget that they failed to get a full mandate at the last election, and that they don’t have the right to rule like a majority Government with only half the seats. “Welsh Liberal Democrats are trying to give this Bill a purpose by introducing a much-needed change to the voting system for local council elections. “If Labour Ministers decide that protecting their dominance in County Halls is more important than voters being able to cast a fair vote at election time, the Welsh Lib Dems will have no choice but to vote down this Bill. I hope other parties will join us in doing so.”

What did you think of THE speech?

http://www.markpack.org.uk/134668/what-did-you-think-of-tim-farrons-debut-conference-leader-speech/

Euro porky pies

Thanks to the European Movement for this:

TODAY'S PORKY: We only Voted for Free Trade “We thought we were only joining a free trade zone” Not true. We were never hoodwinked. We actually left a free trade zone (EFTA) to join the EU, specifically because we felt free trade was not enough. The government, setting out its reasons for applying in 1967, stressed that “Europe is now faced with the opportunity of a great move forward in political unity and we can — and indeed we must — play our full part in it”. And before the referendum in 1975, national newspapers on both left and right were clear that political, not just economic, integration was proposed and would be a positive outcome.  Email us here about your favourite PORKY and we will put it up on our website.

Liberal Democrats' big housing plans

In England, Liberal Democrats are working on a coherent and robust plan for building 300,000 houses a year for many years to come.

Welsh Liberal Democrats have also put housing at the top of their agenda. Peter Black AM writes:

Labour’s poverty of ambition is preventing many people from getting on the housing ladder. 

Yesterday in the National Assembly, Welsh Lib Dem Leader Kirsty Williams AM challenged the First Minister over his government’s failure to build enough affordable homes.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats is the only party with the ideas and ambition to tackle Wales' housing crisis.

We have a plan to double the budget for new affordable homes and build 20,000 homes by 2021. 

Please sign our petition today to support the campaign.

We will also introduce a Rent to Own scheme to allow people to earn a share in their homes over time through rent payments.

These are radical ideas which will help tackle the housing crisis. Please back the campaign.

Liberal Democrat federal conference on YouTube

Real debate and real decision-making. Pick a subject from this selection.

Liberal Democrats vote to give boost to tourist trade

Federal Conference today voted to support cutting tax on tourism. Eluned Parrott, moving on behalf of Welsh Liberal Democrats, pointed out that 25 of 28 EU member states had taken advantage of a concession on VAT to reduce the tax on tourist accommodation and attractions. Backed by parties from the four corners of Britain, she pointed out that hospitality employed people at many different skill levels, unlike most of the newer industries, and had a good record in career development. Cutting VAT to 5% would initially hit the overall tax take, but would start to pay for itself after three years and would yield gains in the billions over a decade.

Eluned writes:

"Cutting VAT on hotels and attractions will boost tourism, create jobs and put our businesses on an equal footing with those across Europe.

"Now we need to turn this policy into reality. Please click here to sign our petition to cut tax on tourism."

Most successful Liberal Democrat autumn conference ever

There were not only more attendees at this year's federal conference in Bournemouth, but there were more new members than ever for an autumn conference.

Members were roused by Tim Farron's speech at tonight's rally. The full text is here.

LibDems vote for compassion for refugees

At their federal conference in Bournemouth today, Liberal Democrats resolved, incorporating amendments, as follows:

Suzanne Fletcher (Stockton) moving a successful amendment

Creating Safe and Legal Routes for Refugees

Conference notes that:
I. There are currently almost 20 million refugees worldwide, who have fled war and persecution, including nearly four million refugees who have fled the ongoing conflict in Syria.
II. The vast majority of refugees are hosted by developing countries; for example, only six percent of Syrian refugees have sought safety in Europe.
III. Increasing numbers of people are attempting extremely dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean, with over 100,000 arriving in Europe by sea and nearly 2,000 people dying making the journey in the first five months of 2015 alone.
IV. 33% of those crossing the Mediterranean have fled war-torn Syria, 10% have fled Eritrea, and 18% have fled Somalia and Afghanistan.

Conference welcomes the Liberal Democrat commitment to give sanctuary to UN refugees, as stated in the party’s 2015 General Election Manifesto, Stronger Economy. Fairer Society. Opportunity for Everyone.

Conference expresses concern that:
A. In responding to the migration crisis, Conservative ministers have used dehumanising language to condemn the actions of refugees fleeing was and persecution, and have failed to recognise or address the humanitarian crisis. Some governments across Europe including the UK are making it increasingly difficult for those fleeing war and persecution to seek safety on the continent by removing safe and legal routes and creating ‘Fortress Europe’.
B. The lack of safe and legal routes is forcing refugees to make dangerous journeys, resulting in the loss of life.
C. Current UK policy limits the safe and legal routes available, including through a limited number of places for resettled refugees and overly restrictive family reunion rules that prevent, among others, adult children being reunited with their parents and siblings.
D. Last December, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees called on governments around the world to provide resettlement and other forms of admission for 130,000 Syrian refugees by the end of 2016, yet the United Kingdom has only pledged to resettle several hundred of the most vulnerable Syrian refugees, and by the end of March 2015, just 187 Syrians had been resettled here.

Conference calls on the Government to:
1. Create more safe and legal routes for refugees to seek safety in the UK by:
a) Significantly increasing the number of refugees resettled in the UK through UNHCR programmes, offering thousands rather than hundreds of places to those fleeing war and persecution including via an EU resettlement scheme.
b) Making it easier for refugees to join relatives already living in safety through UNHCR programmes in the United Kingdom.
c) Accept that the best way of arresting smuggling is creating safe and legal routes for refugees, as well as participating fully in EU efforts to tackle criminal people-smuggling which exploits the misery and desperation of vulnerable people, instead of taking a minimalist approach to EU police and crime cooperation.
2. Work together with partners in the EU to find sustainable solutions to the current and long-term migration crisis which has particularly affected Italy and Greece, including opting into a relocation scheme to offer asylum to the most vulnerable refugees from Syria, Eritrea and Iraq.
3. Take leadership within the EU in support of multilateral efforts to help refugees and displaced persons within their own regions and in support of host countries in North Africa and the Middle East which are assisting large numbers of refugees.
4. Continue to advocate for, and contribute to, the European search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean to save the lives of those who are forced to make dangerous journeys.
5. In the long-term, tackle the root causes of why people become refugees so that fewer people feel compelled to flee their homes.
6. Reaffirm the UK’s international commitment to give protection to those fleeing war and persecution.  In addition, Conference calls on local councils, particularly those that are run by the Liberal Democrats to be generous in offering housing and other support to incoming refugees.

Liberal Democrats 4U

Go to  libdems.org.uk/join or contact Huw (see side-bar).

Euromyths

At http://blogs.ec.europa.eu/ECintheUK/euromyths-a-z-index/ there is an A-Z debunking of myths spread by the popular media in the UK.

Electoral Reform Society

At the recent AGM of the ERS, five Liberal Democrats were elected to the Council. There are also 4 Labour, 1 Green and 5 non politically aligned members.

No new resolutions were passed, but the feeling of the meeting was that the Society should continue to encourage moving away from first-past-the-post voting systems, and continue to press for fair votes in Westminster general elections and in English and Welsh local elections.

ERS is to hold two events at this month's federal conference in Bournemouth: a fringe meeting – ‘Like Minds to Change Minds’ – to be held on Sunday September 20 at 6.15pm in the main BIC Conference centre and a drinks reception on Monday September 21, at 6pm at the Dean Park Inn.

Labour misses police target

THE latest policing statistics published by the UK government have shown that the number of police community support officers (PCSOs) in Wales has been declining since September 2013, the Welsh Lib Dems said.

Commenting on the figures, Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West Peter Black said: “I applaud the Welsh Government for their initiative in funding these extra PCSOs. They have certainly made a difference in many communities around Wales. However, we need to be realistic about what was actually funded and note that the pledge to put 500 extra PCSOs on the beat was not achieved, albeit the Welsh Government missed their target by just 40.”

ALDE gives cautious welcome to Greek settlement

Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament responded to news that a third bailout package had been agreed pending ratification by the Greek Parliament:

"For the first time an agreement is reached that represents more than an accounting exercise. It is a more intelligent approach, based on necessary structural reforms, that could mark a new beginning. Papandreou and Samaras never committed themselves to such in-depth structural reforms. Tsipras shows that he is committed to keep Greece in the Eurozone.

"The new package entails some structural reforms to make Greece competitive again. Closed professions will be opened to competition, the energy market will be deregulated and measures will be taken to re-install the rule of law. If these reforms are implemented, they can bring back trust that Greece's future is in the Eurozone. This certainty will lead to more investments, necessary to make Greece's economy grow.

"I hope the Greek Parliament will support this package. But then the real, and most important part of the work starts. The reforms have to be fully implemented.

"This new approach should go hand in hand with a new, more transparent way of overseeing the implementation process. The last couple of years have shown the work of the Troika was hampered by a lack of transparency.

"During the first meeting of the Conference of Presidents with my fellow Group Leaders in the European Parliament, I will propose that the European Parliament should be given a role in overseeing the implementation of the reform package. A transparent monitoring process, including a periodical debate in the European Parliament on the state of play of the implementation measures,will give confidence to both the creditors and the countries in economic transition that reforms will be duly implemented."

Ceredigion MP Mark Williams features in new LibDem campaign team

New federal party leader Tim Farron has announced his campaign priorities.

Chaired by Greg Mulholland MP, his Parliamentary Campaigns Team will consist of:

• Rural Communities and Vice Chair – Mark Williams MP
• EU referendum – Catherine Bearder MEP and Lord Jim Wallace (Deputy)
• Mental Health – Norman Lamb MP
• Immigration – Shas Sheehan
• Civil Liberties – Alistair Carmichael MP
• Green Economy – Baroness Susan Kramer
• Housing – Tim Farron MP

Tim explained:
These are the core issues I want the Liberal Democrats to stand out on and take a lead on.

Sensible, liberal and evidence-based views are already being woefully ignored by the Tory government – so it’s up to Liberal Democrats to make this case.

Whether it’s helping young people in rural areas find work, or ensuring those with mental health difficulties have effective support, our liberal voice is needed now more than ever.

Whether it’s investing in green energy, building the homes we need; understanding the plight of refugees, or ensuring the state can’t snoop on our emails, my party will offer that liberal alternative.

And with David Cameron’s hokey-cokey diplomacy on Europe, the Liberal Democrats will stand up for our country and make the passionate case for Britain to lead, not leave the EU.

This team will work alongside Lib Dems in all chambers, Parliaments and offices to drive forward strong and signature campaigns. I can’t wait to get started.

Welsh parliamentarians named in Tim Farron's first team

Baroness Randerson, former AM for Cardiff Central, will be new Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron's spokesperson for transport. Leader in the Assembly Kirsty Williams will speak for Wales.

The full list is as follows:

1. Leader: Tim Farron MP
2. Economics: Baroness Susan Kramer
3. Foreign Affairs/Chief Whip/Leader of the house: Tom Brake MP
4. Defence: Baroness Judith Jolly
5. Home Affairs: Alistair Carmichael MP
6. Health: Norman Lamb MP
7. Education: John Pugh MP
8. Work and Pensions: Baroness Zahida Manzoor
9. Business: Lorely Burt
10. Energy and Climate Change: Lynne Featherstone
11. Local Government: Mayor of Watford, Cllr Dorothy Thornhill
12. Transport: Baroness Jenny Randerson
13. Environment and Rural Affairs: Baroness Kate Parminter
14. International Development: Baroness Lindsay Northover
15. Culture Media and Sport: Baroness Jane Bonham-Carter
16. Equalities: Baroness Meral Hussein-Ece
17. Justice/Attorney General: Lord Jonathan Marks
18. Northern Ireland: Lord John Alderdice
19. Scotland: Willie Rennie MSP, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats
20. Wales: Kirsty Williams AM, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats
21. Campaigns Chair: Greg Mullholland MP
22. Grassroots Campaigns: Cllr Tim Pickstone, Chair of the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors

Introducing the team, Tim Farron said:

“I am delighted to be able to announce my team of party spokespeople. The team I am announcing today is the Liberal voice that Britain desperately needs.

“It features some of the best campaigners that the party has, balanced with the experience and economic credibility that our party has developed over the last five years in government.

“It was important to me to be able to call on the advice and experience of people at all levels of our party and I believe we have an excellent team to lead the Lib Dem fight back.

“Together, we will take our ideas, our values and our liberal messages to every corner of Britain. We will make the case for housing, immigration, Europe, environmentalism and human rights.”

Hat-tip to Liberal Democrat Voice.

Tim Farron's speech on the Welfare Reform And Work Bill

In the second reading debate on the Welfare Reform and Work Bill yesterday evening, Tim Farron, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said:

Tim Farron (Westmorland and Lonsdale) (LD): We are very clear: we cannot and will not support the Bill. If it did what it said on the tin, there might be much to commend it, but it does not. The Government pledge a living wage that even they know is not one, they want a welfare state that is anything but good for our country’s welfare, and they use the guise of economic necessity to cover up ideologically driven cuts. Tonight, we will vote against the Bill because we know that the depth and character of the proposals are unfair, unwise and inhuman, and anything but economically necessary.

In truth, the Government do not have to take £12 billion from the poorest families in the country, mostly working families, but are choosing to do so. No amount of political spin will protect the individuals who have to live with the reality, not the words. Calling something a living wage when it is not does not make it a living wage, calling housing affordable when it is not affordable does not make it affordable, and labelling the Bill as progressive does not make it progressive. In the end, the consequences of these actions for Britain will speak louder than the Chancellor’s attempts to change the definition of his words.

The proposals on employment and support allowance—support designed to help people who, through no fault of their own, face more barriers to work than most—will not help into work people with depression, fluctuating conditions, schizophrenia or physical conditions that make more difficult the ordinary tasks that many of us take for granted. In fact, they will act as a ridiculous disincentive. Almost 500,000 people will see their vital support cut by one third once they apply to the new system, meaning that if they are on the existing support, they will lose it as soon as they get a job, even on a short-term contract. It is a disincentive to work and will trap people on welfare, not liberate them.

The Chancellor has chosen to implement a counterproductive policy that demonises people with disabilities and mental health conditions. I am disappointed by Labour’s confusion over the Bill. To give in to the narrative that the answer to our country’s needs is to pit the working poor against the temporarily-not-working poor is shameful. Cutting tax credits, tightening the benefit cap and ramping up the right to buy is not just morally wrong but economically wrong; widening inequality is not just against British decency but economically stupid.

Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD): Of course, we accepted some of the changes to welfare in the last Parliament, but this goes too far. Does my hon. Friend share my concern about the effect on young people who, through no fault of their own, find themselves in need of housing benefit? Why should they be excluded from the same rights that any other citizen in this country has if they have need of the safety net?

Tim Farron: My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. In many ways, young people are the biggest victims of the Bill. I think of young people being supported by housing benefit—for example, in the location of a Foyer, such as the wonderful Foyer in Kendal—and who thereby have access to work, training and further development opportunities. Taking housing benefit away from young people is not just morally wrong but utterly counterproductive, because it will prevent them from accessing work and other life opportunities.

We will stand for the thousands of people in work and yet in poverty, and for the millions of people who might not be personally affected but who do not want to see inequality grow in Britain. Instead, we want a direction for the country that combines economic credibility with truly socially progressive policies, which is why we will continue to make the case for using capital investment to build houses and strengthen our economy for the long term, and for a welfare system that understands the needs of people with mental health conditions and helps them back into work, rather than putting them under the kind of pressure that simply makes them worse.

The reduction in the incomes of poor families in work comes at the same time as the Government are giving inheritance tax cuts to millionaires, cutting corporation tax for the richest firms and refusing to raise a single extra penny in tax from the wealthiest people—for example, through a high-value property levy. We will continue to speak for the millions of people who are young, who suffer from mental health problems, whose parents have no spare rooms or spare income, who do not have parents at all, or who have more than two children. The Liberal Democrats will stand up for families, whether they are hard-working or just desperate to be hard-working. We will not let the Conservatives through choice, or the Labour party through their silence, unpick our welfare system.

All Liberal Democrat MPs voted for the official Labour reasoned amendment but also against the Bill after the amendment was lost.

Diagnosis based on Tim Farron's first leadership speech

European Parliament rejects secret courts as part of TTIP deal

The European Parliament research service recently posted the following summary of its recommendations to the European Commission over the transatlantic trade deal negotiations. The parliament reasserts the need to maintain EU health and safety standards. It also demands an open mechanism for dispute resolution rather than the much-condemned ISDS. Finally, it emphasises that the treaty can in the end be blocked by the EP if its conditions are not met.

The European Parliament takes citizens’ concerns on TTIP very seriously. Thus it is following the talks very closely to ensure that the agreement’s benefits do not come at an unacceptable cost. That is why MEPs will scrutinise and debate any text that emerges from the negotiation process before approving or not the EU-US trade deal.

Recommendations to the European Commission

© Wolfisch / Fotolia

The European Parliament adopted on 8 July 2015 itsrecommendations to the European Commission on the negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). According to these recommendations an EU-US trade deal must open up US market access for EU firms, but must not undermine EU standards, as explained in the respective Parliament press release.

An EU-US agreement needs to ensure “the highest levels of protection of health and safety in line with the precautionary principle laid down in Article 191 TFEU, consumer, labour environmental and animal welfare legislation and of cultural diversity that exists in the EU”, MEPs write in their recommendations to the TTIP negotiators.

No to ISDS

Furthermore, the Parliament requests “to replace the investor-to-state dispute settlement (ISDS) system with a new system for resolving disputes between investors and states which is subject to democratic principles and scrutiny, where potential cases are treated in a transparent manner by publicly appointed, independent professional judges in public hearings and which includes an appellate mechanism, where consistency of judicial decisions is ensured, the jurisdiction of courts of the EU and of the Member States is respected, and where private interests cannot undermine public policy objectives.”

Negotiation process

From the very beginning of the negotiation process, Parliament underscored European values and standards that it wishes to see upheld in the course of the talks as outlined in its resolution of 23 May 2013, adopted before the trade negotiations started.

As with all free trade agreements, the European Commission is negotiating the agreement on the basis of negotiating directivesissued by the EU governments, which were finally declassified.

At the European Parliament’s insistence, the European Commission committed to enhanced transparency and agreed to publish the EU position documents. It also decided to grant all MEPs access to the restricted negotiating documents with the use of a special ‘reading room’. They are not allowed to share these documents publicly but they can get an insight into the progress of the talks.

The European Parliament does not take part in these negotiations, but there can be no final agreement without its approval. Parliament has to either approve or reject the final text, although it is not legally able to modify its provisions. However, by drawing up recommendations on agreements such as TTIP, Parliament sends a message on what it wants to see in the final agreement.

Further information

Parliament has launched the specialised webpages ‘The European Parliament and the TTIP‘ and ‘TTIP: risks and opportunities‘.

Working documents and information about the current state of play in the negotiations are available on the Commission’s TTIP webpage.

D

Some thoughts on the Summer Budget

For Liberal Democrats, this is obviously a difficult day. Our party spent five years preventing the Conservatives from implementing policies that we felt were unfair, as well as introducing distinctive Lib Dem policies that made our recovery fairer and more sustainable. Sadly, yesterday’s budget shows the real difference that Liberal Democrats made in government, and are no longer able to make after May’s elections.

Welfare Cuts – The first of an excessive £12 billion in cuts which will fall disproportionately on the poorest. Also, limiting child tax credits and universal credit payments to only cover the first two children in a family sets a worrying precedent for any future Tory changes to child benefit. Student 

Maintenance – We protected the maintenance grants for the poorest students and prevented any changes to this in the last parliament. Now the Tories are turning it into a loan and adding it onto students’ debt.

Green Energy – We created a system of subsidies for renewable energy production, funded by taxes on energy companies, to shift our economy away from our dangerous reliance on carbon. In government, we more than doubled the amount of energy the UK gets from renewable sources. Described by David Cameron as “green crap”, these taxes and subsidies are now being slashed. This is a tragically short-sighted cut that undermines the promising green energy foundations we have spent five years struggling to create.

Housing – The mass sell-off of housing association properties is a shameful example of short-term Tory electioneering at the expense of the social fabric of our communities. The plans for replacement of properties are threadbare and this whole plan has been ill thought-through. Now, these plans are being joined by the removal of housing benefit for Under-21s, which is going to make it even harder for young people and the less well off to find a home in our communities.

These are just four areas where the absence of Liberal Democrats in government will soon be felt. There will, no doubt, be more - such as protecting the Human Rights Act and fighting the Snooper's Charter.

Locally and nationally, we will continue to campaign for a fairer Britain. You can join us in this campaign by clicking here. Join us today, and help us continue the fight to protect our environment, our civil liberties, our housing and welfare systems, and fairness in higher education.

Welsh Government's Renting Homes Bill is a disaster waiting to happen

As reported on Wales Online, Liberal Democrat housing spokesman Peter Black has voiced the party's objections to a measure which purports to make it simpler to rent a home in Wales.

He has warned that the Lib Dems may vote down the Renting Homes Bill if changes aren't made.

He said: “This bill from Labour is a disaster waiting to happen, and we will vote it down unless there are significant changes."

Peter asserts that the Bill may even breach the Human Rights Act.

“Removing the 6 month minimum tenancy rule will put tenants in a much more uncertain and insecure position, especially given more and more vulnerable people are to be placed in the private sector under this bill.

“Housing is yet another area of abject failure for this Welsh Labour Government. With fewer than half the houses that Wales needs being built, Labour’s poverty of ambition is driving the dream of affordable housing out of reach of too many people.”