Catherine Bearder MEP writes on Human Trafficking

On a day in which we are all asked to #beboldforchange, I call on us all to fight against the disgrace that is this modern-day slave trade.

Human trafficking is an issue that predominantly affects women. It is happening now, across Europe, under our noses, and we must open our eyes.

Please take a look at my report and join the fight today.

4th May is getting closer

Join the real opposition

Want to know more? Go to http://www.libdems.org.uk/membership-faqs

Liberal Democrats to try to kill Government's bill to restrict disability benefits

The Independent reports:

Yesterday's by-elections: Conservatives & Liberal Democrats increase vote share

Labour sinks

(Graphs courtesy of Press Association)

In local council by-elections, there were two Liberal Democrat gains from Conservatives.

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Liberal Democrats fastest-growing party in British politics

More than 4,000 people have joined the party in January, turned off by Theresa May's plans to take Britain out of the Single Market and attracted by the Liberal Democrats' opposition to "the politics of fear, division and hatred".

The Liberal Democrats: the fastest growing party in British Politics Since January 1st more than 4,000 people have joined the Liberal Democrats and our membership is now the highest it's been in more than two decades - and more members are joining every single day. Read more

By-election update: 8 days to polling day Our fantastic candidates in both Stoke-on-Trent and Copeland, Zulfiqar Ali and Rebecca Hanson, are doing fantastic work standing up for our values of openness, tolerance and unity. Catch up on the latest from Stoke-on-Trent and find out how you can help in the final week: Find out more

Do you ever get déjà vu? Earlier this month, we released our latest PPB - if you missed it, you can watch it here: Watch the video

Nick Clegg cheered by students

Hat-tip to Liberal Democrat Voice for the following:

"Six years ago, Nick Clegg was not the most popular politician amongst students. Now, things have changed as many young people find that he speaks for them as the Government hurtles towards a hard Brexit which will blight their future and opportunities. The Guardian’s Patrick Wintour watched him speak to a crowd of students:

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Patrick Wintour 

✔@patrickwintour

Heard Nick Clegg speak on Europe at a very large student event in London last night. No question on tuition fees. Huge applause at close.

9:32 AM - 10 Feb 2017

 
•  7878 Retweets
 
•  9292 likes

In a concurrent London Evening Standard piece, Nick Clegg wrote:

I was on a platform with other politicians taking questions from a student audience. A local Labour MP was having the normal go at me about tuition fees. Fair enough — though I noticed he omitted to mention Labour’s own role in introducing tuition fees, and then trebling them on its own watch.

No, the moment Labour’s malaise really struck me was when this MP started speaking about the vote last week in the Commons on Article 50. He displayed none of the intelligence or humility of Keir Starmer, the shadow secretary for exiting the EU, who disarmingly confessed to the gathered MPs how difficult the issue is for Labour. Instead, in Sheffield this MP started to deliver a sanctimonious lecture to the Ukip and Conservative panellists, berating them for placing immigration above the economy in the Brexit talks.

I couldn’t contain myself. Irascibly, I interrupted his pro-European sermon to remind him that he’d just got off a train from London having voted with Douglas Carswell, Michael Gove, John Redwood and other zealous Brexiteers. How could he claim he was representing the interests of the youngsters in the audience having given his support to Theresa May’s uncompromisingly hard Brexit, yanking the UK out of the single market altogether?
Nick then went on to talk about catching up with new Liberal Democrat Councillor for Brinsworth Dr Adam Carter, who won with a colossal 2000 votes – more than the Lib Dems managed in 2015 in the entire Rotherham constituency:

When I asked the jubilant Lib-Dem councillor what his explanation was for his victory, his answer was simple: “People round here just feel totally taken for granted by Labour.”

Who are Liberal Democrats?

Future Women’s MP Weekend: do you want to be an MP?

The FWMPs Weekend is an exciting residential training weekend specifically designed for women who might be interested in standing for Westminster. It is run by the Campaign for Gender Balance (CGB) which is now a part of Liberal Democrat Women. Jo Swinson, Tessa Munt and Jenny Willott all started their successful quests for a seat in Parliament at a FWMPs Weekend, and so could you! Participants will receive expert training from top trainers and Party representatives on the skills and knowledge needed to stand for parliament, personalised advice and guidance on their political career, and the chance to network with other women interested in standing. Where: Jurys Inn, Milton Keynes Midsummer Boulevard, Milton Keynes, MK9 2HP When: 4-5th of March 2017 Deadline: 12th February 2017 The cost of the weekend is £75. This includes accommodation, meals (breakfast, lunch & light refreshments) and training. The fee will be waived for those who are unwaged or unable to pay.   How to apply: Complete the form found on the following link: http://www.libdemwomen.org.uk/future_women_s_mp_weekend You can then submit it either by emailing: diversity@libdems.org.uk Or you can post your application to: Liberal Democrat Women, 8-10 Great George Street, London, SW1P 3AE

We need to talk about Jeremy...

By-election update

Big gains in the English South-West this week. This is where the Tories made biggest inroads into the Liberal Democrat vote in 2015's general election after throwing huge amounts of money at it (still under investigation). In a new IpsosMORI/Evening Standard poll, Liberal Democrat ratings have gone up from 10% to 14%.

Tories 'cannot be trusted' on devolution

Conservative MP for Brecon and Radnorshire Chris Davies has called for Westminster to have the power to place the Welsh Government in “special measures”, withdrawing powers from Welsh politicians.

This comes following the recent announcement on Wales' 2015 PISA results.

Baroness Jenny Randerson, Welsh Lib Dem spokesperson for Government relations said;

“I’m astounded that Chris Davies MP has the audacity to suggest that politicians in London know better than the Welsh teaching profession.

“Welsh Lib Dem Education Secretary Kirsty Williams is committed to our national mission of educational reform to raise standards for all our children and schools in Wales, working with teachers and educational professionals in doing so.

"The OECD have said that Wales is now on the right path and that we should stick with Kirsty's plan for our schools.

“The Welsh Liberal Democrats believe that the best people to make decisions about our schools and our children’s education are the people of Wales, not bureaucrats and politicians in London. The Tories clearly cannot be trusted not to roll back the tide on devolution."

What Liberal Democrats believe

A high-res single poster incorporating the panels above is available here (6 Mb pdf). It is A3 sized and suitable for printing out.

Pro-European? Labour has given up on you.

Radical overhaul of student funding in Wales

Independent proposals for students to receive the equivalent of the National Living Wage during term time have been accepted by Welsh Lib Dem Education Secretary Kirsty Williams.

The Welsh Lib Dems were clear during the election that they would overhaul the current funding arrangements to make students’ daily living costs the central focus of any new funding system.

The Welsh Government will implement, with only minor modification, the Diamond package, meaning that the average Welsh student could receive up to £7,000 a year in grant support, which will also be available for part-time students, from September 2018.

Cadan ap Tomos, the Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesperson for young people, added:

“The Welsh Liberal Democrats have consistently argued that the high cost of living is the number one barrier to accessing university. It should be your ability to learn, not your ability to pay, that determines whether you can study.

“Far too many students are struggling to make ends meet. I’m proud that the Welsh Lib Dems not only listened to students by putting living costs front and centre of this debate, but that we’re now using our influence to deliver on our promise to students in May.

“With Kirsty Williams in Government, the Welsh Lib Dems will secure much-needed reforms for all students, making sure that a parent’s bank balance won’t hold any young person back from succeeding at uni.”

Welsh Lib Dem Education Secretary Kirsty Williams said:

“We are looking to introduce the most generous and progressive system anywhere in the UK. These plans will deliver the first system in the UK that is consistent, progressive and fair in its support for full and part-time undergraduates and for post-graduate students.

“I am clear that Wales needs a sustainable and progressive higher education funding settlement that supports students when they most need it, and, importantly, enables our universities to compete internationally.

“Our proposals are a fundamental shift so that Wales can develop a higher education funding and student finance system that really does provide for all.”

Something the Brexit campaigners forgot to mention when railing against bureaucracy

Motes and beams department

A German couple sits on a couch in front of the telly. He, with his eyes glued to the box, says "How stupid are the Yanks to vote for Trump?" while she looks out of the window to the hordes of neo-Nazis and AfD supporters waving "Foreigners out!" and similar banners.

Liberal Democrat MPs will vote against Article 50

Tim Farron MP, leader of the Liberal Democrats in Westminster, says:

"We will vote against Article 50 unless it allows the people a vote on the deal, because the will of the people must prevail – both on departure and destination.

"The government has no plan and their haphazard approach is leading us towards a disastrous version of Brexit which risks jobs, communities, security and the economic health of the nation."

What Welsh students could miss out on after Brexit

The organisation ColegauCymru / CollegesWales posts:

Erasmus+

ColegauCymru / CollegesWales succeeded in its Erasmus+ application once again for half a million Euros to support overseas opportunities for learners and staff.  This latest success brings the total amount of funding acquired by ColegauCymru / CollegesWales for learners since 2011 through Erasmus+ and Leonardo da Vinci (the European Union’s predecessor programme) to just over €1.2million.

Nine FE colleges, Tata Steel and Isa Training will be part of this exciting project. The funding will enable 215 vocational learners and apprentices from 11 curriculum areas to undertake work placements in Europe.

There is a petition to save Erasmus here: http://www.libdems.org.uk/erasmus

CETA signed

Cecilia Malmström writes on signing the Comprehensive Economic and Trade agreement at the summit between the EU and Canada:
This agreement is an important achievement, for many reasons. First of all, it clearly demonstrates that when Europe comes together, we can shape globalisation according to our values and our standards. We reached an agreement on the EU side after some tumultuous discussions. Sometimes we need to make things a bit complicated first, in order to make them better as a result - it has always been the crises that foster progress in our European Union.

There is much skepticism about both globalisation and trade these days – across Europe as well as in North America and elsewhere. In recent years we have been engaged in a very passionate European debate on trade. This is important, because it helps us improve our EU trade policy. As a Swede, I know for a fact that openness to trade and stringent social standards are not mutually exclusive. On the contrary - we need open and fair rules on trade to support, maintain and improve our welfare states. Trade agreements are not the silver bullet to solve all our problems, but it is an important tool that Europe has at its disposal to strengthen economic growth and foster jobs.

Pound has lost 21% against the US dollar since the general election

https://www.poundsterlinglive.com/best-exchange-rates/british-pound-to-us-dollar-exchange-rate-on-2015-05-20

John Alderson

The "thinking man's copper", one of the last candidates for the old Liberal party, and a pioneer of community policing, died five years ago today.

The ECHR Mrs May does not trust

Click on this link for more.

Boundary Commission recommendations

These are the recommendations regarding Wales of the Boundary Commission set up as as result of the government decision to reduce the number of Westminster constituencies to 600 at around 75,000 electors each. The proposals affecting Neath, Port Talbot and adjacent areas are shown below.

It seems to us that the Boundary Commission has paid insufficient attention to one of its rules, namely special geographical considerations, including in particular the size, shape and accessibility of a constituency; local government boundaries as they existed on 7 May 2015 and any local ties that would be broken by changes in constituencies.

Local Liberal Democrats have consistently opposed the break-up of natural communities purely in the interest of electoral arithmetic. At the previous Boundary Commission review we asked for the Coedffranc wards (including Skewen) to be moved back into the constituency of Neath of which they naturally form part. On that occasion we were unsuccessful, but at least Coedffranc remained within a constituency contained within the same (Neath Port Talbot) local council area. It seems to us that the current proposals unnecessarily break the local government/constituency link (e.g.
Skewen merged with Swansea East, Port Talbot and Margam with Ogmore).

Kirsty Williams rules out grammar schools for Wales

Wales’ Education Secretary Liberal Democrat Kirsty Williams ruled out a return to 11-plus in Wales and said: “It seems that some terrible ideas just won’t go away.

“The Tories in England and Wales seem determined to bang this tired old drum. For them, this is all about dogma and doctrine, rather than looking at what actually works for our young people.

“The facts show that grammar schools do nothing to improve social mobility. The Sutton Trust found that less than 3% of grammar school pupils were on free school lunches, compared with 20% across the country.

“The Welsh Liberal Democrats believe in opportunity for all, which is why under no circumstances will Wales be seeing an expansion of grammar schools.

“As Education Secretary, I will be guided by evidence so that we have a schools system that is modern, innovative and rooted in optimism about the potential of all our children.”

Save Erasmus

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Farron: we must have a referendum on final Brexit terms

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Tim Farron writes:

This morning I’m setting out our party’s plan for Britain in Europe. Our key demand is simple – we demand the British people have their say on the final deal in a referendum.

Read the plan ➤

The simple fact is, voting for a departure is not the same as voting for a destination. The British people deserve a real choice over what comes next, to guarantee that it is the right decision for them, their families, their jobs and our country.

In the meantime, our party has another vital task, to fight for an open, tolerant and united country, to hold the Conservative Brexit Government to account and the guarantee the best possible deal for Britain.

We will hold Theresa May’s Government to account over Brexit, expose the lies that Boris Johnson, David Davis and Michael Gove told during the referendum and make sure any deal they do is good for Britain.

Read the plan ➤

Nobody else will do this job for us. Labour cannot be trusted to do their job as the opposition and Plaid are only interested in using Brexit to push for independence.

Our policy on Europe is simple: we want to stay. We wanted that the day before the referendum and we still want it today. We want to stay because Britain is stronger, safer and more influential at the heart of Europe, than outside it.

So let me be clear: I don’t believe there is any deal that Theresa May can do that will be better for Britain than being a member of the European Union. So when people are given that choice, we will make the case loudly and clearly that we believe Britain should stay in the European Union.

Thank you,

Tim

Tim Farron MP
Leader of the Liberal Democrats

The EU does something which single states cannot

From the EU Commission's press release:

The European Commission has concluded that Ireland granted undue tax benefits of up to €13 billion to Apple. This is illegal under EU state aid rules, because it allowed Apple to pay substantially less tax than other businesses. Ireland must now recover the illegal aid.

Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: "Member States cannot give tax benefits to selected companies – this is illegal under EU state aid rules. The Commission's investigation concluded that Ireland granted illegal tax benefits to Apple, which enabled it to pay substantially less tax than other businesses over many years. In fact, this selective treatment allowed Apple to pay an effective corporate tax rate of 1 per cent on its European profits in 2003 down to 0.005 per cent in 2014."

Following an in-depth state aid investigation launched in June 2014, the European Commission has concluded that two tax rulings issued by Ireland to Apple have substantially and artificially lowered the tax paid by Apple in Ireland since 1991. The rulings endorsed a way to establish the taxable profits for two Irish incorporated companies of the Apple group (Apple Sales International and Apple Operations Europe), which did not correspond to economic reality: almost all sales profits recorded by the two companies were internally attributed to a "head office". The Commission's assessment showed that these "head offices" existed only on paper and could not have generated such profits. These profits allocated to the "head offices" were not subject to tax in any country under specific provisions of the Irish tax law, which are no longer in force. As a result of the allocation method endorsed in the tax rulings, Apple only paid an effective corporate tax rate that declined from 1% in 2003 to 0.005% in 2014 on the profits of Apple Sales International.

This selective tax treatment of Apple in Ireland is illegal under EU state aid rules, because it gives Apple a significant advantage over other businesses that are subject to the same national taxation rules. The Commission can order recovery of illegal state aid for a ten-year period preceding the Commission's first request for information in 2013. Ireland must now recover the unpaid taxes in Ireland from Apple for the years 2003 to 2014 of up to €13 billion, plus interest.

In fact, the tax treatment in Ireland enabled Apple to avoid taxation on almost all profits generated by sales of Apple products in the entire EU Single Market. This is due to Apple's decision to record all sales in Ireland rather than in the countries where the products were sold. This structure is however outside the remit of EU state aid control. If other countries were to require Apple to pay more tax on profits of the two companies over the same period under their national taxation rules, this would reduce the amount to be recovered by Ireland.

How it worked:

Clean up Neath Port Talbot Streets

For years now, Neath Port Talbot Council has allowed our streets and our residential areas to look more and more shabby and unkempt.

The build-up of rubbish and weeds that choke our streets and lanes makes our communities look and feel decaying and unloved. We used to have regular patrols to deal with problems like litter and weed growth. That seems to have been allowed to drift over recent years. For a county with the second highest principal council tax rate in Wales, that is just not good enough.

It is not only bad for the people who live here, it is bad for the economy of the county borough, too. How can we persuade people that Neath and Port Talbot are good locations in which to invest, to start a new business or to call their home in the midst of this neglect?

We want Neath, Port Talbot and their towns and villages to fulfil their potential and we want them to be good places to live in. That won’t happen while our Labour Council sits back and watches as the mess piles up around us.

Please support our petition calling on Neath Port Talbot Council to clean up our streets. Please help to take good care of our community.

Sign our petition here: http://www.peter-black.net/cleanupnpt

LibDem net gains in council by-elections

Liberal Democrats made net gains of four seats in principal council by-elections in the three-month period up to 5th May. The next quarter, which includes post-Brexit successes like these, is expected to show further improvement.

Peter Black to be part of Mark Williams' team

Councillor Peter Black, former AM for South Wales West, has been named by Mark Williams, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats in his team of spokespeople. Peter will speak on Finance and Local Government, Heritage and Housing.

Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democrats congratulate Peter on his appointment.

Liberal Democrat response to Chilcot

Sir John Chilcot has published his report into the Iraq war. Responding, Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said:

“Blair was fixated in joining Bush in going to war in Iraq regardless of the evidence, the legality or the serious potential consequences.

“Daesh has arisen from the complete absence of any post conflict planning by the government.

“Charles Kennedy’s judgment has been vindicated in every respect. I hope those in the Labour and Conservative parties who were so forceful in their criticism of him and the Liberal Democrats at the time are equally forceful in their acknowledgements today that he was right. An absence of scrutiny by the Conservative party opened the door for Blair and the Labour Government to pursue a counter-strategic, ill-resourced campaign.

“I hope Sir John Chilcot’s findings can in some way provide comfort to the families of the British servicemen and servicewomen who lost their lives [including 14 from Wales], and to the people of Iraq. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have lost their lives and a generation has been shaped by this illegal war.

“Far from being Bush’s passenger, Blair was his co-pilot in taking this catastrophic decision which has destabilised Iraq, provided the hotbed for Daesh and tarnished Britain’s reputation around the world.“

Liberal Democrats consistently opposed the invasion of Iraq in 2003

Fifteen thousand new members

More than 15,000 new members have joined the Liberal Democrats since the result of the EU Referendum was announced. With over 74,000 members, we now have more members than we’ve had in over a decade!

These new members have joined us because they share our values and principles. They know that we are the only party who can now speak for those who believe the UK is best when it’s tolerant, outward-looking and compassionate.

There are still many of you who are looking for someone to give them a voice in the wake of the referendum result. If you are not yet a member, you can join locally - see the sidebar on the right - or you can sign up via Twitter, Facebook or by clicking here.

Help us fight for the EU

Simple choices

With acknowledgements to Adams of the Daily Telegraph.

Peter Black says First Minister should not rush to give formal notification of EU withdrawal

A senior Welsh Liberal Democrat and former Assembly Member has criticised the First Minister’s call for official notification of the UK's intention to leave the EU under Article 50 to be sent as early as possible.

Councillor Peter Black has called on his former colleague Kirsty Williams, the Welsh Liberal Democrats Education Secretary to distance herself from the proposal, arguing that giving formal notification before proper arrangements are in place could leave Wales worse off.

“I understand that the First Minister wants to limit the amount of uncertainty faced by Welsh businesses,” said Mr. Black, “but if we go too early then negotiators could find themselves battling against an immoveable deadline to put in place new agreements on trade and free movement of labour. It would significantly weaken our negotiating position and potentially leave Welsh businesses struggling to compete.

“This is not a position that the Welsh Liberal Democrats support. It is important therefore that our only AM, who sits in the government, distances herself from Carwyn Jones’ statement.

“The vote last Thursday is a potential disaster for communities in Wales. It puts jobs under threat, it places key funding for agriculture and deprived areas in jeopardy and it undermines Welsh businesses. That is why Tim Farron and the Liberal Democrats are right to say they will put a pledge in their next manifesto to seek to re-join the EU.”

Referendum shows that people turn out when they know that their votes count

Anthony Tuffin of STV Action says:

Turnout

Yesterday’s EU referendum turnout was 72% compared with 65.1% and 66.2% in the 2010 and 2015 general elections.  An important reason for this is, as David Cameron said on 8 June, “every vote counts the same [in the referendum]”.

Comparison

Although the referendum result was very close (51.9% – 48.1%), at least it was clear and obvious – unlike the general election results in 2005 and 2015 when, respectively, the Labour Party was awarded an overall majority for only 35.2% of the votes and the Conservative Party was awarded an overall majority for only 36.9%.  This needs to be repeated over and over again.  Every vote should count in elections as well as referendums.

Who will represent us in the exit negotiations?

All of us, Remainers and Leavers alike and whatever party loyalties we may have, must hope that the Government gets the best deal possible in the crucial exit negotiations that will take place.  The Government’s duty is to represent us all but, elected by only 36.9% of the voters, it is not representative of us.

David Cameron has recognized this a little by announcing his resignation, but his successor will be chosen by the Conservative Party and not by the voters.  Others have recognized it a little more by calling for a general election but a new Government, elected by about 35% - 40% of the voters by First Past The Post, would still not be representative.

We should have a general election now by STV/PR to elect a truly representative Parliament and a Government with a mandate to negotiate.

Owen Winter launched a petition today for a PR general election.  Even if you think the Government will ignore it, it is worth signing to increase publicity for electoral reform and attract new supporters.  As he has written:

“After a divisive referendum campaign, UK public opinion is deeply split. The only way to reconcile our differences is an election where all voters have a stake in the result. As David Cameron said, every vote in a referendum ‘counts the same’. Surely this should apply for general elections too?”

Please click on MVMbrexit-petition to see the petition and sign it.

What next?

38 Degrees consulted with its members today on what its priorities should be now that the decision has been taken to leave the EU.  Unsurprisingly (because they never do), they did not even mention electoral reform as one of their possible priorities, but their final question invited general comments so I wrote:

“The Government is responsible for representing us in the vital exit negotiations but, elected by only 36.9% of voters, it does not represent us and a new Government, also elected by First Past The Post, wouldn't represent us either.  We need a General Election NOW by STV/PR.”

Constitutional issues

The Electoral Reform Society has published a blog, in which it makes the point that “the referendum demonstrated a clear public appetite to engage with constitutional issues of where power should lie” and suggests that the public should continue to be engaged.  The blog continues, “Leaving the European Union and determining the future shape of the United Kingdom are huge and difficult tasks – far too difficult to be left to politicians behind closed doors.”

Please click on ERSpublic-engagement for the full text.

Frank Little, secretary of the local Liberal Democrat party writes: "I largely agree with this and have already supported the inclusion on the agenda for the next Liberal Democrat conference a motion calling for a fair voting system for Westminster elections and local government elections in England and Wales. If the latter is good enough for the Scots, it is good enough for us."

Do you want to reverse what Wales did last Thursday?

Go to:

https://libdems.secure.force.com/LiberalDemocrats/NewMemberRegistration 

where you will find the simple form above.

The final message

UK's influence in the EU

The EU cannot override the UK in the following areas:

There are more facts here.

Referendum campaigning has ceased

As a mark of respect to Jo Cox, and with regard to the current overheated political atmosphere, it has been decided not to proceed with campaigning. In particular, the street stall planned for the Lidl store in Bryncoch South this weekend will not now take place.

 - Frank Little, Secretary

Fellow-Europeans' big contribution to public services

The E(U)conomic cliff

Leave would cost us

The EU referendum