Danny Alexander: UK’s triple-A credit rating “not be-all and end-all”
Lib Dem chief secretary to the treasury Danny Alexander has signalled an interesting shift in the government’s economic approach, downplaying the significance to the economy of the UK’s continuing...
View ArticleOpinion: Is this the start of Plan A+?
It looks like the coming months will see new initiatives to boost the economy, following the second quarter contraction (now revised up slightly to -0.5%) and a record trade deficit. As The Spectator...
View ArticleLibLink: John Pugh MP – With hindsight, Cable’s deficit reduction plan looks...
Lib Dem MP John Pugh has written a thoughtful, balanced piece on economic policy for the New Statesman website. He freely admits he has voted for every part of George Osborne’s economic strategy...
View ArticleJulian Huppert MP writes… Britain deserves an affordable railway
Our rail fares are among the most expensive in Europe, and they keep going up. Between 1997 and 2010 rail fares went up by an astonishing 66% – well above inflation. If next year’s planned rail fare...
View ArticleLDVideo: George Osborne booed at Paralympics
This was the scene last night when Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne turned up at the Olympic stadium to present the medals at the 400m T38 victory ceremony: (Available to view on YouTube...
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News snippets from the Conservative conference: tax, Europe, migration and more
Trouble ahead on tax as Osborne opposes a mansion tax: We are not going to have a mansion tax, or a new tax that is a percentage value of people’s properties. Before you rush to spot the loophole in...
View ArticleThere are no easy choices when it comes to reducing the deficit
George Osborne’s statement that senior Liberal Democrats have agreed in principle to a further £10bn of welfare cuts in 2015-16 has prompted a strong reaction from many party members and a TV rebuttal...
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Opinion: Shares for Rights? An open letter to Nick Clegg
Dear Nick Like most people I have spoken to this week I had imagined that Osborne’s announcement of “shares-for-rights” was for the Tory conference audience, and would not see its way into government...
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Vince Cable MP writes… My view on George Osborne’s employee ownership scheme
Last week at the Conservative Party conference the Chancellor announced a new equity ownership scheme. His proposed scheme, targeted at small companies, is entirely voluntary and cannot be forced upon...
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Opinion: Let’s unite against George Osborne’s employee rights grab
George Osborne has many faults, but we have to thank him for one thing – uniting the Liberal Democrats. There are groups within the Lib Dems holding different, even opposite views. However, many Lib...
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What did George Osborne agree to do that Nick Clegg refused to do?
(You can like and share this graphic via LibDemVoice’s Facebook page by clicking here.) Compare and contrast: This… Nick Clegg gives house sale profits to taxpayer Nick Clegg has sold his constituency...
View ArticleAutumn Statement: the good, the bad and the ugly
So, the Chancellor has given his Autumn Statement. Liberal Democrat reaction is likely to be at best mixed. Will people feel that the balance of tax and benefit measures is sufficient to support our...
View Article‘Please give generously’: Tories mail-shot supporters asking for donations to...
That’s the story in the Guardian this weekend: The Conservative party privately sent letters to Tory donors and wealthy homeowners promising to defeat Liberal Democrat plans for a mansion tax at the...
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Opinion: Time to quash Osborne’s employee-owner status
I would like to make a plea to MPs of all parties not to support the new employee-owner status and to table an amendment to remove it from the Growth and Infrastructure Bill. Buried in section 25 of...
View ArticleUK loses its triple-A rating – George should’ve listened to Danny
The BBC reports tonight’s predictable news: UK’s AAA credit rating cut to Aa1 by Moody’s The UK has had its AAA credit rating cut by Moody’s, based on its expectation that growth will “remain sluggish...
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Budget 2013…..Live Blog
George Osborne is about to get to his feet to deliver his Budget. In Parliament Square this morning, Enough Food IF campaigners gathered to remind him to stick to the 0.7% overseas aid pledge. Join us...
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Budget 2013: Osborne crosses fingers and hopes ‘steady as she goes’ will come...
Move along, nothing to see here… This was a steady-as-she-goes budget at a time when the economy is anything-but-steady. Of course as Lib Dems it’s great to welcome the final push towards lifting all...
View ArticleOpinion: George Osborne doesn’t get it… again
This should have been a budget for growth, helping the UK economy to recover from the deepest and longest depression on record. George Osborne’s announcements on childcare, investment in industrial...
View ArticleSarah Teather blasts George Osborne’s “irresponsible” comments on Philpott case
George Osborne has said some crass things in his time, but his comments today, as reported by the BBC, that there should be a debate on whether “the state should subsidise lifestyles like that” were...
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Opinion: Liberal Democrats must stay firm on deficit reduction
George Osborne will stand up in the House of Commons on Thursday to announce the government’s intentions for public spending for the 2015-16 financial year in circumstances he neither anticipated nor...
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