Reading Liberal Democrats

Lib Dems in Reading welcomed the Queen’s speech, which has a package of measures on pensions, care for the elderly, and green energy, to help create a stronger economy and fairer society.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Especially welcome in Reading are proposals to streamline the way anti-social behaviour is tackled, including giving victims a bigger say in how the Police deal with this issue. This is an issue that blights the lives of many local residents, and anything that leads to a faster, more effective response will make a difference.

Pensions

Pensions will be made simpler and fairer by paying a decent flat rate of £144 for a full contributions history and relieving thousands of our pensioners from the need to apply for means-tested benefits after a lifetime of full employment.

Social Care

The government will introduce a cap on the cost of social care (expected to be around £70,000) so that pensioners are not forced to sell their homes to pay for care. This is a real problem in areas like Tilehurst where there is a large elderly population. It will also  provide protection to people whose care provider goes out of business and give everyone a legal entitlement to a personal care budget, which they can receive as a direct payment to spend as they wish.

Green Energy

The government will reform the energy market to ensure secure, clean and affordable energy. We will inevitably be paying more for energy in the future but some of that money will be spent on providing green, sustainable energy.

And one big thing not in the Queen’s speech

The Lib Dems have very effectively blocked the Tories Communications Data Bill which would have given government the right to see all the email you have sent or received plus all the websites you have visited over the last year. A veritable snoopers charter has been nipped in the bud by Lib Dem activists including our own campaigning Dr Jenny Woods.

Commenting on the raising of the Personal Allowance further than already planned, Cllr Daisy Benson, Liberal Democrat Leader on Reading Borough Council said:

“Liberal Democrats are working for a stronger economy and a fairer society, so that everyone can get on in life. That’s why we are cutting taxes for working people.

“Today’s announcement means that by April, 72,200 ordinary working people in Reading will get a further Income Tax cut, bringing the total tax cut to £600 a year since Liberal Democrats joined the Coalition Government.

“In Reading, this welcome news also means that 5,710 low-earners have been lifted out of paying Income Tax all together since the Coalition Government came to power.

“Liberal Democrats want fairer taxes, which is why we made raising the tax-free allowance our number one priority at the General Election – so important that we put it on the front page of our manifesto.

“When times are tough, with rising bills and wages not keeping pace with inflation, we want to give people real, practical help.

“Cutting Income Tax will not deal with all of those problems, but it will help. And I hope it will make a big difference to every family in this country.”

Reading Lib Dems applaud the news that MPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of Equal Marriage Rights on the third reading. We know that the outcome will make many people in Reading very happy. This is a positive step forward towards true equality for all in the UK.

Georgina Hughes, Chair of Greater Reading Liberal Democrats said:

“I’m delighted by this news and want to thank all MPs who had the courage to vote for equal marriage rights. I’m particularly proud that the vast majority Liberal Democrat MPs voted in favour. This is a great day for equal rights in Britain”

The stats

Of all the MPs that voted:

• 7% LibDems voted against
• 9% Labour voted against
• 51% Conservatives voted against

There has been much talk of the seven Liberal Democrat abstentions. Of this seven, four were on government business, one had just given birth, another was looking after a seriously ill family member, and there was one true abstention. Also much has been made of Sarah Teather, who voted against. Sarah has supported and campaigned for improving gay rights throughout her political career, however she holds strong Catholic beliefs and so this may have been a step too far for her. The Liberal Democrats are a party of equality and freedom, and we respect people’s points of view. This was a free vote and thus we respect her decision.

Locally in Reading, our Tory MPs voted very differently. Ex Reading Councillor Glenn Goodall said:

“Reading West MP Alok Sharma showed real courage in voting for Equal Marriage rights, but the same cannot be said for Reading East MP Rob Wilson who voted for and against (signifying he abstained). He’d already refused to show his hand at various public meetings and then hid behind an abstention – this is shameful in my opinion”

A look at theyworkforyou.com shows that throughout Rob Wilson’s political career he has mostly voted against improving gay rights.

Overall we can be very proud that we live in a liberal and forward thinking country. Yes there is still a long way to go, but we are travelling in the right direction.

Reading is eligible for more money to improve cycling infrastructure, the Liberal Democrat Transport Minister, Norman Baker has announced.

The money is part of an additional £62m the Coalition Government is investing to improve cycling infrastructure and safety for cyclists. The funding will be spread throughout the country, with £30m going to eligible bidders as part of the City Deals and £12m will be invested to improve cycle infrastructure in national parks. A further £15m has been earmarked for cycle/rail integration and infrastructure.

Commenting, Cllr Ricky Duveen said:

“Cycling in Reading can be hit and miss – sometimes literally. While we’ve seen some improvements in the past, more work is much needed and this additional money comes at the right time.

“In Reading we have an active cycling community and talking to the Cycle Forum last night they are not short of ideas for improving cycling which we could develop with additional funding.”

“Liberal Democrats know that cycling is an important part to get people moving: it’s healthy and there’s nothing more pleasing that whizzing past cars stuck in traffic on a bike.

“By getting more people out of their cars and on their bikes, we can ease congestion too and strengthen our local economy.

Commenting further, Norman Baker said:

“Cycling is a great way to get around. Not only is it good for the environment and the economy, but evidence shows that with people who cycle living longer than those who do not it is also great for your health.

“The country’s success at the Olympics and in the Tour de France has brought cycling right into the public’s imagination and there is a huge appetite for better cycling provisions.

“Today’s announcement capitalises on that and adds to the significant investment that we have already made to allow more people to get on their bikes.”

Lib Dems in Reading today welcomed the introduction of the Green Deal and specifically the Government grant of £280,000 to Reading to make sure that information on this scheme is made widely available, especially to owners and landlords of older housing stock in our town.

The idea behind the Green Deal is to provide long term loans to carry out works on houses to improve energy efficiency that are paid back using the savings from the resulting reduction in fuel bills.

Cllr Ricky Duveen (Lib Dem Environment spokesperson) commented, ‘making loans available under the Green Deal will make significant reductions in household fuel bills and help reduce future fuel consumption.’
‘It is important that people are made aware of this new possibility to reduce future energy bills and that this money is targeted at older properties where owners could make significant fuel reductions.’
‘We welcome this initiative. This is Lib Dem policy being put into action by Lib Dem ministers in Government.’

More information on the Green Deal is available at https://www.gov.uk/green-deal-energy-saving-measures/how-the-green-deal-works

The following is a guest blog from Meri O’Connell, a Liberal Democrat Councillor in Tilehurst ward.

When I decided to attend the Autumn conference in Brighton this year I began to receive a steady trickle of leaflets through the post; information on fringe events, training sessions, exhibitors, motions and amendments. Both the event and even the language was new and alien to me.

Fortunately the Greater Reading Liberal Democrats are a friendly group and more seasoned members helped me work out what was going on. Consequently I was able to spend my time learning about and voting on things that will hopefully help me better serve Tilehurst residents and the interests of Reading as a whole.

I was reassured that the Lib Dems have kept to their principles whilst making some difficult compromises in coalition. Other parties use their conferences as American style rallies, where party big wigs tell their members what policy is and why. At our conference members are allowed to put forward motions that can, if they are voted through, become party policy. We are allowed to put forward challenges to senior people in the party and robustly debate important issues. Local activists, like me, are able to tell the leadership what the important issues are for people in Reading.

We live in a country with a proud tradition of Liberal and Democratic thought. I could not be part of a party that didn’t encourage debate and constructive criticism within its ranks. Any movement that is made up of members unquestioningly following the edicts of the few, suggests to me a party that doesn’t trust the intellect or hearts of it’s membership.

Before the conference I had read a lot in the newspapers about plotting and scheming within the ranks of the Liberal Democrats and wanted very much to see for myself what the mood was. It’s almost boring to report that the feeling amongst conference attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with discussions and conversations focusing on campaign strategy for the next round of elections. On my return I struggled to recognise the picture of the conference that was portrayed in the national papers.

On a lighter note, I was not expecting to actually rub shoulders with MP’s and the Deputy Prime Minister. I presumed these important people would be too busy to mix with the rank and file of the party and that I would only observe them on the podium. I am somewhat thrilled to say that this was not the case. At times it seemed that whenever I turned round I was bumping into someone I recognised from the media. The Lib Dem VIP’s that I saw, had time for the members and a genuine interest in their comments and views.

Perhaps because, as a party, we have spent so much time on the outside of a two party system, we have not developed a belief in our right to be listened to. I do hope we can guard against this as the feeling of equality between elected members and non elected members was both refreshing and motivating.

I came away with a renewed commitment to my role as a Councillor. Although there are only four of us on Reading Borough Council at the moment, there are over 4000 Lib Dem councillors throughout the country. We are chipping away at social division and inequality; on County, Town and Parish councils throughout the land. And, despite what the majority of the media would have you believe, we have no intention of giving up and returning to the sidelines of politics.

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Cllr Daisy Benson, Group Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group has welcomed the announcement today by the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg that the Coalition Government is set to allow councils to keep business rates.

Commenting on the news, Cllr Daisy Benson said:

“It is very good news for Reading that this longstanding Liberal Democrat policy is being implemented as it will help give the local economy a real boost and increase accountability over spending.”

“As the Centre for Cities recently noted Reading has a thriving private sector and this move will help stimulate growth even futher.”

“At the moment, business rates paid by businesses in Reading go straight into Treasury coffers and often end up being spent in other parts of the country – as a result of decisions taken by bureaucrats in Whitehall not the Civic Centre.”

““This reform will give Reading Borough Council a genuine incentive to actively encourage business growth and create jobs which is good for residents and businesses.”

“If more taxes raised locally are spent locally people and businesses will be able to see how their money is spent and hold councillors to account more effectively for decisions.”

Liberal Democrats are confident that significant changes will be made to the Government’s Health Bill to address concerns raised by the public, medical professionals and the party.

Liberal Democrats led the calls for changes after raising serious concerns at the party’s Spring Conference in March.

The Government has completed a listening exercise during a break in the passage of the Bill to hear the concerns.

In particular, Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats want to ensure:

• The pace of change is slowed down to ensure changes are not rushed into. The changes must be evolution, not revolution
• There is no privatisation of the NHS and no special favours for the private sector. We want a level playing field, not a race to the bottom
• The NHS is properly accountable, both nationally and locally

Commenting, Cllr Daisy Benson, Group Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Reading Borough Council said:

“Liberal Democrats have been clear from the start that there must be no privatisation of the NHS and that it must remain universal, based on need and free at the point of use.

“I joined Lib Dem members including a large number from Reading who backed a motion calling for substantial changes to the Health & Social Care Bill when it was debated at our conference in March.

“With an ageing population and rising costs it is clear the NHS can’t stand still, but these changes are too important to get wrong.

“I am proud that Nick Clegg and my Lib Dem colleagues have been fighting to make sure the concerns raised by the public and medical professionals have been heard and addressed.”

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