Category: Lib Dems

Lib Dems, politics, Tuition FeesLeave a comment

Lib Dems against scrapping the cap! – another signature

Michael McFarland Campbell

I have just joined the Lib Dems against scrapping the cap! group on Facebook. On the 12th of October 2010 Lord Browne published the findings of his review of Higher Education funding. The proposals include scrapping the current cap (meaning that some so called ‘elite degrees’ could cost £12,000 a year) and reducing funding for “less important” degrees. Although some of our MPs, such as Tim Farron, have come out and vowed that they will rebel against this, 2 of our key players have come out in support of Browne’s proposals – Nick Clegg and Vince Cable. It is time … Continue reading Lib Dems against scrapping the cap! – another signature

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Lib Dems1 Comment

@flocktogether gets us sorted… @libdemsni

Michael McFarland Campbell

A simple email to Martin Tod (co-founder of Flock Together) was all it took to get the Northern Ireland local party of the Liberal Democrats listed in the same manner as the Brussels & Europe local party on Flock Together. I only hope that the Federal Party site will follow suit – eventually. Watch out for announcements of our future events on the site. Continue reading @flocktogether gets us sorted… @libdemsni

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Lib Dems, politics1 Comment

NI chair ‘is for Tim’

Michael McFarland Campbell

On Saturday I attended Scottish Liberal Democrats Conference at the Vine Venue, Dunfermline with fellow NI Lib Dem Stephen Glenn where we found Stephen McFarland also from the NI local party there as well. Both candidates for President of the Liberal Democrats were also at the conference, so we all took our opportunities to speak to them. Tim Farron, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale was the first we spoke to. Later on I took the opportunity to question Susan Kramer, formerly MP for Richmond. I had already worked out who I was going to vote for, but speaking to Tim … Continue reading NI chair ‘is for Tim’

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Blogging, Lib Dem Voice, Lib Dems1 Comment

one of the Golden Dozen

Michael McFarland Campbell

Each week Lib Dem Voice publishes a list of its “Golden Dozen”. This week, Northern Ireland takes a quarter of that dozen.

Congratulations to Stephen for being at numbers 1 and 5, I’m amazed to have come in at number 3 this week. Thanks very much to Stephen Tall.

Welcome to the Golden Dozen, and our 188th weekly round-up from the Lib Dem blogosphere … Featuring the seven most popular stories beyond Lib Dem Voice according to click-throughs from the Aggregator (19th – 25th September, 2010), together with a hand-picked quintet, normally courtesy of LibDig, you might otherwise have missed.

Don’t forget: you can sign up to receive the Golden Dozen direct to your email inbox – just click here – ensuring you never miss out on the best of Lib Dem blogging.

As ever, let’s start with the most popular post, and work our way down:

1. David Laws Doesn’t Want to Return to Government on Stephen’s Liberal Journal.
“It is a sad case when someone is forcibly outed and loses their va-va voom as appears to be the case with one of the sharpest minds in the Lib Dem parliamentary team.” See also 6.

2. When the going gets tough, the defectors get going on Jonathan Wallace’s blog.
“She asks that her decision be respected. Okay, we will do that but I say to you Yvonne that you must respect your former colleagues who worked so hard to get you where you are now and who you have now left.”

3. Outrage at action of liberal youth executive on Michael Carchrie Campbell’s Gyronny Herald.
Unimpressed by their endorsement of Tim Farron for President: “I am outraged by this usurpation of the members’ rights.”
Continue reading “one of the Golden Dozen”

DELGA, LGBT, Lib Dems, politics, Stonewall1 Comment

according to Stonewall 55% think same-sex couples SHOULD be allowed to get married

Michael McFarland Campbell

Sitting at home, sorting out post, sorting out what is going to be eaten for lunch, when my boyfriend was heading out to Boots’ he found some post in his pigeonhole. He, having emailed Stonewall about the Ben Summerskill affair at Lib Dem Conference during the week, appears to have promptly got a letter seeking donations to their coffers. Enclosed was a leaflet which has the wonderful statistics from an Observer/ICM Poll in September 2008 that 45% think same-sex couples should NOT be allowed to get married using my simple arithmetic learnt in primary school, I can work out that … Continue reading according to Stonewall 55% think same-sex couples SHOULD be allowed to get married

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DELGA, LGBT, Lib Dems, Liverpool, news, politics, Stonewall, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Stonewall’s key priorities – has Ben Summerskill read them?

Michael McFarland Campbell

Stonewall has made a major error in letting its Chief Executive Ben Summerskill loose at the recent Liberal Democrat conference in Liverpool. His statements are now well known, but it has opened up a can of worms that Stonewall will want to shut. However, I hope that others will join me in looking at what they have said they will do Stonewall’s key priorities for 2010-2011 EDUCATION Challenging homophobia in schools and colleges and underachievement by lesbian, gay and bisexual pupils through development of the Education for All programme. Raising standards through local government, the teaching profession and young volunteers. … Continue reading Stonewall’s key priorities – has Ben Summerskill read them?

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Lib Dems, Northern Ireland life1 Comment

a black hole: who’s who in the liberal democrats…

Michael McFarland Campbell

Just been entering my details on Who’s Who in the Liberal Democrats and come across a couple of minor problems. Minor problem number 1 I am a member of the Northern Ireland local party – indeed I am currently chair. However, although I can put my constituency in (Belfast North), there is no region for me I have decided to put in “Devon & Cornwall” to show my Cornish heritage. This is, however, not very satisfactory. I believe that my fellow blogger, Stephen Glenn, may have put “Scotland”. Minor problem number 2 Although this category does not apply to me, … Continue reading a black hole: who’s who in the liberal democrats…

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Lib Dems, politics9 Comments

Outrage at action of liberal youth executive

Michael McFarland Campbell

With the Liberal Democrats Presidency up for grabs, nominations are open. Some LibDems and [one] LibDem organisations are publicly backing various proposed candidates. Whilst I have no problem with my fellow Northern Ireland Lib Dem blogger, Stephen, publicly supporting Tim Farron MP, (Westmorland and Lonsdale). And I have no problem with Tim himself: I may decide to back him myself, after all I was on a Campaigns Department training week in his constituency with Jonny Moss and John Ault. I do have a problem with a post on the Liberal Youth website. Now, I am not a member of Liberal … Continue reading Outrage at action of liberal youth executive

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Labour, Lib Dems, news, politics, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Phil Woolas needs to consider his words more carefully

Michael McFarland Campbell

crossposted at Liberal Democrats in Northern Ireland That campaign was marred by the interference of outside bodies including the Muslim Public Affairs Committee (MPAC) and others. MPAC and others campaigned in favour of the Liberal Democrat. Phil Woolas MP in email published in Saddleworth News The above quotation comes from the embattled Labour Member of Parliament for Oldham East & Saddleworth in an email as quoted by Saddleworth News. A quick question for Mr Woolas. If it is not okay for MPAC to support the Liberal Democrat candidate, why is it okay for the Trade Unions to support the Labour … Continue reading Phil Woolas needs to consider his words more carefully

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