Conservatives jump on yet another Lib Dem bandwagon

Over on ConservativeHome Richard Benyon MP is very proud he raised the issue of troops serving abroad not being able to vote in the forthcoming general election.

A really important issue Mr Benyon, I completely agree, as did Willie Rennie MP and Michael Moore MP back in February, good to see you copying the Liberal Democrats lead on this issue.

Once again though, it is not the Conservatives leading the opposition, it is in fact Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrats team who are one step ahead and staying ahead and the Conservatives just jump onto the bandwagon.

Changes to voting rules which would help ensure servicemen and women operating abroad have the opportunity to vote in the forthcoming General Election are required urgently.


The current regulations mean that there are only 11 days in which postal ballots can be printed, dispatched and returned to be included in constituency counts. The Lib Dems are concerned that this could leave thousands of people serving in the armed forces overseas unable to register their vote. Those missing out could include men and women who are currently on operations in Afghanistan.

Ministry of Defence destroying hundreds of youth groups

Thanks to Willie Rennie MP for finding this nugget via a Parliamentary Question.

The Ministry of Defence has once again been found out trying to slash budgets and spending on projects that it perhaps should actually be investing in.

The Army Cadet Force is one of the largest youth organisations in the country with more than 8,500 instructors and 45,000 members aged 12 to 18, with the MoD’s own research showing that between 15 and 20 per cent of youngsters who train with the cadets then go on to join the forces.

However, this is just one of the youth organisations connected to the Armed Forces, there is the Air Training Corps, the Sea Cadets Corps and the Combined Cadet Force.

As a former member of 209 Squadron of the Air Training Corps I know how important these organisations are.

We were taught discipline, manners and many life skills as well as all the obvious military skills such as flying, shooting (in a controlled environment), map reading and how to use a compass.

We also attended many RAF bases on summer camps and that is when I first flew solo, in Wales over St David's cathedral in a chipmunk plane.

I also flew in the SAS helicopters the day after they had been used in the storming of the Iranian embassy back in 1980.

The government are making a massive mistake trying to cut funding to these organisations, they claim they want to tackle youth crime and keep children off the streets, well here is a group of organisations which do just that and also teach the youngsters something useful for their lives ahead.

Labour's Glasgow North East by-election gaffe #3

Three, yes three, firstly why have the people of Glasgow North East now been without an MP for 117 days, they could have called the by-election before the summer recess when Michael Martin stood down so;

Gaffe one - not calling the by-election when Michael Martin resigned.

Gaffe two - candidate Willie Bain not signing his "contract" with the people (as of this morning it still isn't signed).

Gaffe three - phoning Lib Dem voters to tell them the writ is being moved today (Friday), wait for it........who live in Dunfermline.

Last night telephones in Dunfermline were being called by an electronic message from their Glasgow North East candidate.

"Hello, I am Willie Bain, Labour candidate in the Glasgow North East by-election"

He then started taking about when the poll would be called and then mid sentence hung up.

To be fair Willie is the candidate for Dunfermline, Willie Rennie MP that is, who took the Dunfermline & West Fife seat in the 2006 by-election from Labour.

Why in Scotland are Labour campaigns so disastrous at the start, they do then seem to sort themselves out but is this another case of disorganisation or just stupid mistakes?

How many MPs should we have?

One thing I do not agree with the Leadership of my Party (on a personal basis), or the Tories for what it's worth is on reducing the number of MPs that end up in the House of Commons.

Currently an MP represents an area with approximately 70,000 people living there, what started me on this tonight is Councillor Chris White (for those on Twitter @ChrisWhite17) who is tweeting direct from Nick Clegg's latest Town Hall meeting in St. Albans.

Now, if you want to see Nick Clegg's plan to Take Back Power and restore democracy go here.

I agree with the majority of what is proposed and fully sign up to it but I do not agree with the objective of reducing the number of MPs. For any seasoned campaigner, of whatever party, they will all have heard this on the campaign trail "Why don't you knock on my door, no-one, from any party comes round".

It is often because you just cannot get all the leaflets delivered and phone calls made as well as knocking on 50,000+ doors - although that is what we all would prefer to do.

So, I think we have to leave the number of MPs roundabout the figure we have now. People have the right to know their MP, to expect them to do surgeries all round the local area, take for example Willie Rennie MP, who is in the middle of a tour around his constituency ensuring every community has that opportunity to meet him and express their opinions.

I recall delivering leaflets in Dunfermline with Willie one afternoon during the European elections every time we saw a constituent I carried on delivering and Willie chatted and brought up expenses so they didn't have to broach the subject first. Willie spoke to every single person we saw that day, whether they were walking down the street, gardening or washing the car - that's the kind of MP everyone needs, someone who is there and will work hard for every person in every community irrespective of how they voted.

That is why we don't need less MPs because that kind of relationship would never happen!

Total Politics - September edition

I've resisted the urge up to now to purchase a copy of Total Politics, but today not only did I give in but have been pleasantly surprised.

Not only did I learn that Hugh O'Donnell MSP has a love for Tai Chi, but that he also is a purple belt in karate.

There's a great article by Andrew Hawkins - illuminating a dark art - a piece on polls.

A good piece by Jon Craig whom I've now met at various by-elections, well worth reading.

Then the interview by Iain Dale of Ann Widdecombe, a well written piece but the sad line in it for me was this one - "I came into this place as a Member of Parliament, I leave it as an employee of the House of Commons."

If Ann really feels like that, then that's a massive shame if that's where we've ended up after all that's happened with the expenses scandal.

This is followed by an article on bullying and I'm appalled at this, I recall reading Emma Nicholson's book when she defected to the Liberal Democrats and thinking I hate this and want to help.

Not Emma, per se but that was the moment that I finally joined the Liberal Democrats rather than just helping.

But here we are 12 years on, and the bullying goes on - shame on those bullies.

Then, because I don't want to spoil all the fun a small summary of what else is covered; eateries of politicians, Menzies Campbell and the commemorative banner, election law, a blogger profile and the best of the blogs and much, much more.

I can't not comment on the article about the General Election in Scotland - a four way fight. Katy Gordon our Lib Dem candidate is described as a "face to watch", "Fred Mackintosh has a much better chance of taking Edinburgh South from Labour than the Tories do", "and they ; are not much further behind on the other side of the City at North and Leith" and "Last time the Lib Dems also finished just over 1000 votes behind Anne Begg in Aberdeen South."

Just one point they got wrong in the article, the Liberal Democrats have 12 MPs in Scotland, how could you forget Willie Rennie and the stunning by-election victory in Dunfermline and West Fife.

Overall a good read and worth picking up every month!

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Total Politics and Iain Dale - the top 30 blogging MPs

So, another day, another list from Total Politics, in association with Iain Dale.

Although I am hooked, and ready to order my copy of the Total Politics Guide to Political Blogging.

So, here is the list of the top 30 MPs blogs as voted for by more than 1,500 people who took part and voted in the Total Politics Annual blog poll.

Well done to Lynne Featherstone MP (8), Willie Rennie MP (11), John Hemming MP (15), Steve Webb MP (17), Nick Clegg MP (18), John Barrett MP (22) and Adrian Sanders MP (25) for all getting onto the list this year.

A big congratulations to Tom Harris MP for getting the number one slot.

Dunfermline Building Society

Shame on Labour and shame on Gordon Brown.

I cannot believe that Gordon Brown and his Government are planning to sell off the Dunfermline Building Society as reported on the BBC website.

Willie Rennie MP who represents Dunfermline & West Fife (and is also Gordon Brown's MP) has been campaigning to save the Building Society and you have to question why the Government has turned it's back on this Building Society given what support they have given to every other bank in the UK.

The Government, the Bank of England and the Financial Services Authority have apparently decided they cannot save the Dunfermline - why not?

Jim Murphy MP blamed it on bad management, so how came the Government has stepped in and saved other Banks who have also had bad management?

It really is hypocritical of this Government to deal with this so differently to the other badly managed banks.

The elections on June 4th are going to be used as a referendum on this out of touch Labour Government even though these forthcoming elections are more important than that and should be about who represents us in the European Parliament, fighting for Scotland. This Government has badly managed the economy and it is time for a change.

Lib Dem MPs make the difference

After only days of campaigning and pressure from people all over the UK and Liberal Democrat (and Conservative) MPs the Government, who are wildly out of touch with real people, have shelved their plans to exempt MPs expenses from the Freedom of Information Act.

Liberal Democrat Federal Leader, Nick Clegg said: "The Liberal Democrats are totally opposed to any Government move to allow MPs to avoid being subject to Freedom of Information requests.

"At a time when families are having to count every penny, it is outrageous that MPs are seeking to hide how they spend their money."

You can read the Nick Clegg's full statement here.

Today, the MPs will still vote on their expenses, but this is more about the auditing process and whether to have 26 headings rather than the current 9.

Well done to MySociety and Unlock Democracy for running a great campaign on Facebook, common sense won in the end but would it have done without this group and the Lib Dem & Tory MPs?

My 2008

Wow - what a year that was!

Career wise, 2008 definitely had its ups and downs. Those who work closely with me know what the main issue was for me in 2008 :-)

2008 started with the commencement of the London GLA and Mayoral campaigns with Brian Paddick as the London Liberal Democrats Mayoral candidate and an array of candidates across London for the GLA Constituency and List.

The election campaign pushed me to the limits on many levels, I learnt a tremendous amount and it made me view some things both politically and career wise slightly differently.

The result was a little hard to swallow, especially with only returning a team of three to the London Assembly. Caroline Pidgeon, Dee Doocey and Mike Tuffrey are the Lib Dems group in the GLA.

Nobody should underestimate the Liberal Democrats in London because of this campaign. In all Council by-elections last year the Conservatives averaged 36%, Lib Dems 29% and Labour 25%.

We were and still are outpolling the Party that is the National Government!

During the London campaign the Party advertised the post of Deputy Director of Campaigns for Scotland, after a discussion with my partner we both decided I should apply, so during a very busy and stressful time at work I put together my CV and also went to the Scottish Liberal Democrats Spring conference in Aviemore.

I got the job - hurrah, but really couldn't think much about it as we still had polling day to get through!

I eventgually got through the London campaign and then had to start planning a move to Edinburgh. I moved up first on Friday 30th May and on the Saturday morning was out delivering leaflets in Dunfermline with Willie Rennie MP, Elspeth Finlay and Caron Lindsay.

Roger arrived in August with Zennor, I had gone down to help them move up on the train. We were both really worried about Zen especially as once in her cage she gets stressed out. In the taxi to Kings Cross Station she was bad, but once we arrived at the station and then got on the train and all the way to Edinburgh she was an absolute angel.

Since we moved here we have had to move and now have a lovely flat in Western Harbour.

I have had a baptism of fire since my arrival with two Parliamentary by-elections, first in Glasgow East where our candidate Ian Robertson was brilliant - a star of the future - and the second in Glenrothes with our candidate Harry Wills. My sincere thanks both to Ian and Harry and the fantastic teams who helped me through those four months!

Since then I have had time to concentrate on our Euro 2009 campaign and also start to enjoy this beautiful country that is now our home.

Happy New Year!