I find it very sad that David Cameron is leading the fight to prevent Jean Claude Juncker from succeeding José Manuel Barroso as President of the European Union. Juncker has been elected by the European Parliament and chosen by the major political group in the EU, the European Peoples’ Party, which represents all the major […]

The recent spat between Gove and May is an indication of a deeper problem than a possible Trojan Horse. For most of the last century there was a simple structure for education, which was the responsibility of the Local Authority, each with a Director of Education, a staff of Inspectors and a network of support […]

Nick’s statement yesterday  is an inspiration to all those who worry about the future of the Lib dems. Listen to his determination to lead the Party to a positive future: http://www.libdems.org.uk/opportunity_for_everyone_that_s_the_liberal_promise?utm_campaign=summer_1&utm_medium=email&utm_source=libdems# So long as we have a dedicated, articulate and positive leader like Nick we can only make progress towards building on solid support regardless […]

I have always been impressed with the good sense of Peter Oborne, a columnist for the Daily Telegraph. His piece in the Telegraph today is much more thoughtful than much of the shallow comment in the press and the media. It is well worth reading in full, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10875277/This-Coalition-can-be-compared-with-our-greatest-governments.html The key sentence, with which I totally […]

It is the reporting of the EU that is most in need of reform. UKIP have gained votes because the EU is so badly reported. The BBC and the media give space and air time to the wrong people and create the wrong impression. The EU has a structure similar to most democratic organisation, with […]

Years and years of propaganda and campaigning against the European Union have had their effect. UKIP has gained the majority of the votes overall and has more MEPs. This is a disaster, but it is not yet a catastrophe. People voting for UKIP, including many of those that I meet with regularly, have done so […]

Lib Dems in government should do something about the growth in demand for food banks. It is a disgrace that government in one of the richest countries in the world is failing so badly that citizens are in danger of starvation. Those that are using food banks are those who have no income other than […]

When I was campaigning to retain my council seat, the most common complaint that I had was that the Lib Dems should have voted against student fees. To have voted against would have destroyed the coalition, and led to an election which would probably have excluded the Lib Dems. both of the other major parties […]

It is worrying that Cameron and co are asking for legislation to stop immigrants from claiming welfare benefits. EU rules agreed by the UK in 2007 make it clear that immigrants cannot claim welfare benefits unless they have genuinely moved their habitual residence to the UK and have worked and paid tax and national insurance […]

Cameron has said that he will organise an in/out referendum. Referendums are dangerous. We have a representative democracy, which is the probably the best way in the world of organising the nation state. Referendums on a single issue can be whipped up by an interest group. Votes in Parliament cannot be rigged in the same […]