The Northern no.

47
January

Democrat
2010

The newsletter for Liberal Democrats in the North of England

Lib Dems
head north
Party HQ chooses Tyneside for major conference

lThe Sage, Gateshead, is to host the Lib Dem national conference in March 2012.

In a vote of confidence by Liberal venue for the conference coincided with the
Democrats in the North, party conference 5th birthday celebrations of the building.
in March 2012 is to be held in the Sage, “This is great news for the region and great
Gateshead. news for Liberal Democrats here,” said Cllr
After a great deal of lobbying by members Noel Rippeth, Leader of the Opposition of
in the region, the Conference Office in Cowley Gateshead Council.
Street HQ have opted to come to the “It may be two years away but we are
Tyneside venue. already looking forward to the party coming
The announcement of the Sage as the here.”
Produced, printed and promoted by Jonathan Wallace, 7 Laburnum Grove, Sunniside, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE16 5LY
 Northern by-elections
Redcar and Cleveland win yet again!
Redcar and Cleveland Liberal Democrats kept up their record as kings of the by-election
jungle by winning the region’s last local government battle of 2009 with a share of the vote
in Ormesby that makes the ward look uncomfortably like a one party state!
Yet again, the Conservatives put in a convincingly bad performance, with their vote share crumbling
to a quarter of its previous amount.
It is the Lib Dems’ fourth by-election win in
Redcar constituency in just over twelve months.
Candidate Ann Wilson’s majority over Labour
was 874. She fell just short of taking three out of
every four votes cast. The result was as follows:
Ann Wilson (Lib Dem) 1084 (73.5%; +12.4%)
Steven Goldswain (Lab 210 (14.2%; -5.1%)
Martin Bulmer (UKIP) 103 (7.0%; +7.0%)
Colin Jones (Con) 77 (5.2%; -14.4%)
Majority 874
Turnout 29.55%

lAnn Wilson, new Councillor for Ormesby (3rd left) with

prospective MP for Redcar Ian Swales (2nd left) and the local
Lib Dem team after victory was declared in the by-election on
3rd December.

First New Year by-election blood to Lib Dems

The first by-election of 2010 has resulted in a Liberal Democrat gain from the Conservatives in Harrogate.
Woodfield’s previous councillor had been elected as a Lib Dem but then defected to the Conservatives. The death of
this councillor caused the by-election, which was hold on 7th January.
The result was:
Greta Knight (Lib Dem) 688 (62.5% +4%)
Heather Adderley (Con) 246 (22.3% +7.5%)
Steven Gill (BNP) 92 (8.4% -4.1%)
Daniel Maguire (Lab) 73 (6.6% – 7.5%)
Claire Kelley, prospective Parliamentary
candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough,
said, Greta will be an excellent councillor and
will do a great job for Woodfield and for the
whole District.
“The increase in the Lib Dem share of the
vote shows that Harrogate residents recognise
that Liberal Democrats work harder and
deliver more. Our positive campaign lCelebration: prospective MP for Harrogate and
highlighted the achievements of our team and Knaresborough, Claire Kelley, 2nd left, joins newly elected
contrasted with the Conservative’s negative councillor Greta Knight, 3rd left, to celebrate the return of
attacks and lack of action. Woodfield ward to the Lib Dem fold.
“The apparent total absence of a Labour campaign in what has traditionally been one of their strongest wards
allowed the BNP to sneak into third place although I was pleased to see their vote significantly reduced from the
previous election.
“Finally, in each of the three Borough Council by-elections won by the Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal
Democrats during the past twelve months excellent women candidates have taken seats previously held by men.
Harrogate Borough Council – like so many elected bodies in the UK – still has far more men than women but these
three results have helped to bring a little more balance to our Council chamber.”
 Northern news
East Coast Main Line must be in
public hands for 3-5 years – Baker
Liberal Democrat Transport Shadow Transport
Secretary, Norman Baker MP, has called for East
Coast Main Line to remain in public hands for up
to five years to give the company stability.
East Coast is the main provider of rail services
between the North East, Yorkshire and London.
Norman made his comments after Transport Secretary
Lord Adonis said he was aiming to keep the train
operator in the public sector for only two years.
The publicly owned company was set up to take
over the running of mainline services following the
collapse of the franchise held by the previous operator
national Express.
“To provide stability for passengers and staff and
demonstrate that the East Coast Main Line can be
used to show passenger standards can be driven up lLib Dem Shadow Transport Secretary Norman Baker
across the network, two years is not long enough,” MP wants East Coast to remain in public hands for up
said Norman. to 5 years.
“We welcome the steps taken to put the passenger centre stage, but the franchise must remain in public
ownership for three to five years.”

Corus plan outlined by Swales

Ian Swales, Liberal Democrat prospective MP for
Redcar, has made a submission to Parliament’s
North East Regional Committee inquiry into Corus.
His document A Positive Plan for Corus Teesside was
published before Christmas and has already had a good
reception from Corus managers, Union officials and
local politicians.
The plan calls for investment at Corus to reverse the
fortunes of the declining site and suggests ways in
which this could be financed.
Ian said: “If Corus and the Government want to see it
happen, Teesside could once again become a world
leading site for the production of steel.
“What’s needed is investment to put right the neglect
of the last ten years and to introduce new technology. I
have listed many opportunities including ideas to reduce
the energy use and cost base of the site.
“A good example is to get on with building the giant
windfarm that was approved way back in 2004. Short
term subsidies may help the programme happen but are
not the answer for the long term.
“My plan would create jobs, not destroy them, and get
Teesside’s heart beating again. The local community
deserves nothing less than a serious attempt to make
this happen.”
lIan Swales, pictured right, with his report A
Positive Plan for Corus Teesside
 Northern news
MP Beith slams Minister’s
rejection of A1 cash calls
Following the Transport Minister’s rejection of calls for cash to
upgrade deadly sections of the A1 in Northumberland,
Berwick’s Liberal Democrat MP Sir Alan Beith has accused the
Government of dodging responsibility for the route.
Sir Alan said, “Yet again the Minister is passing the buck to an
unelected regional body for what is a nationally strategic road. The
very fact that so many of the serious accidents involve drivers from
the other end of the country of from abroad demonstrates people’s
belief they are on a nationally strategic road and failing to realise
parts of it are not dual carriageway.”
Lord Adonis has reportedly hit back at claims that the road
should be reclassified as a route of national strategic importance
because there is insufficient traffic using the route.
The issue of the A1 was raised again following remarks by the
North Northumberland coroner Tony Brown, who described the A1 lBacking carers - Sir Alan Beith MP
from Morpeth to Berwick as the “weakest link” on the London to
Edinburgh road at an inquest following a head-on crash in February 2009 which led to two fatalities.
Sir Alan added, “There has been some progress on the road over the years but we need a firm commitment to
the upgrade of sections to get the work completed. I’ll continue to push for a commitment to this upgrade.”

“Vile” allegations as Nick Brown

stoops to new low
Labour Chief Whip and Newcastle East MP, Nick Brown MP, appears to have stooped to a new low with
outrageous and “vile” allegations of electoral fraud and cheating against Lib Dem run Newcastle City Council.
The row involves the decision of Newcastle Council, supported by a majority of Labour councillors on the
authority’s constitutional committee, to hold general election counts on the day after polling day.
Brown claims, “Leaving blank ballot papers and lists of those who haven’t voted and the ballot boxes all together
in the same place overnight is not a reassuring prospect. The scope for fraud is obvious.”
He then went on to claim, “I wouldn’t trust Newcastle Liberal Democrats to be left alone with the blank ballot
papers and ballot boxes overnight.”
The unfounded and untrue allegations that Newcastle Liberal Democrats are corruptly abusing the electoral
process are “vile”, claimed Lib Dem Cllr Gerry Keating, chair of the council’s constitutional committee.
There are now concerns that Brown’s remarks could be a foretaste of the Labour campaign in the general election
battle to come.
Brown however may have shot himself in both feet whilst placing them both in his mouth. The Journal was
distinctly unimpressed by his disgusting claims. According to their leader column, his comments were
“outrageous” and, “Such shameful politicking has the power to impair his party’s cause.”
Now we await the announcement, assuming they make one, of Newcastle Labour’s distancing of themselves from
Nick Brown. Let’s hope we are not kept waiting.

Berwick Liberal Democrats have got two HP cartridges 3 colour type 23 going spare.
If anyone wants them they can be swaped a donation to Berwick Lib Dems
Call Clare on 01665 602901
 Northern news
Pre-Budget Report gets thumbs down in the North
The Pre-Budget Report, published by the Chancellor in December, is nothing more than a damp squib, claim
Liberal Democrats.
Ron Beadle, Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for Newcastle North, said, “Instead of delivering
a national economic plan to get us out of the recession and out of debt, the Chancellor has produced a weak party
manifesto that avoids hard choices on spending and cuts.
“Labour has missed a real chance to use this Budget to make the tax system fairer. People on middle incomes will be
paying more tax while those at the top end continue to enjoy their loopholes. And low paid workers face a cut in real
wages.
“By contrast, the Liberal Democrats propose the most radical, far-reaching tax reform in a generation paid for by
closing tax loopholes, making polluters pay and introducing a ‘mansion tax’ on homes worth over £2m.
“Under our plans people won’t pay a penny on the first ten thousand pounds they earn. That would put £700 back in
the pockets of the vast majority of taxpayers, and take millions of people on low pay out of paying income tax
altogether.”

‘No more playground politics,’ says local Lib Dem

Simon Reed, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary
Spokesman for Wansbeck and Morpeth has
welcomed the announcement by Nick Clegg
that the Liberal Democrats will not carry on
the old game of politics as if the world hasn’t
changed.
‘We cannot simply go on with the era of
‘playground politics and make-believe economics’
that we hear from the other parties,’ said Simon.
‘Residents know that we face a crisis in our
public finances and we must be honest about the
challenges and the choices, not live in denial and
carry on as if the world hasn’t changed.’
‘Vince Cable, who has been ahead of the
game in predicting and understanding the
economic crisis has set out a balanced approach
to reigning in the huge deficit while protecting the
vulnerable and low-paid. But we can’t jeopardise
the recovery by cutting too much too soon as the lVince Cable ahead of the game on economy - claims
Tories would do.’ Simon Reed, left.
‘A 10% levy on bank profits for as long as they are supported by the taxpayer; saving £billions by not replacing
Trident like-for-like; raising personal allowances to £10,000 saving the average family £700 per year. All of these are
deliverable and help to focus on priorities, but we also need to do more about the rotten political system that despite
all the noise from the other parties is still on the back burner for reform.’
‘The next election will give people a genuine opportunity to break with the past, and choose representatives who
will deal with the real issues we face, not simply tinker at the edges,’ added Simon.

Don’t add to burden of grieving relatives, Beith tells health chiefs

Sir Alan Beith, Liberal Democrat MP for Berwick upon Tweed, has condemned plans by Northumbria
Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to move pathology and mortuary services from the Wansbeck Hospital
to Rake Lane in North Tyneside.
Sir Alan said, “I believe this move would cause serious difficulties to families needing to formally identify
someone who has died, at a time of great grief.
“From some parts of north Northumberland a trip to the Wansbeck by next of kin already involves a round trip of
over 100 miles and moving the service to Rake Lane would increase this to 140 miles, taking several hours, at a
time when people are dealing with feelings of grief and shock.
“I have told Northumbria Healthcare Trust that I do not think the proposed move should go ahead and I hope
they will change the plans.”
Fairness for all - the Liberal Democrat manifesto
On Monday 11th January, Nick Clegg set out the priorities that will be at the heart of the Party’s election
manifesto. The value that connects everything the party wants to achieve is fairness. There are four priorities
for how the Liberal Democrats will make Britain a fairer place: fair taxes; a fair start for every child; fair, clean
and local politics; and a fair, green economy with jobs that last.
The first priority is to introduce fair taxes, with radical
proposals for the biggest tax reform in generations. The
Liberal Democrats will close loopholes for the richest and
introduce a tax on mansions to fund tax cuts of £700 for
everyone else.
No-one will pay income tax on the first £10,000 they
earn, meaning millions of low earners and pensioners will
stop paying taxes altogether, while millions more will get
hundreds of pounds back in their pockets. Only the Liberal Democrats will make taxes permanently fair.

The next priority is to give every child the fair start

they deserve through a huge transformation of our
education system that will build the foundations of fair
society.
That means cutting class sizes so children get the
individual attention they need to thrive. The Liberal
Democrats will be putting an extra £2.5 billion into schools to pay for more teachers, better discipline and catch-up
classes so children get the individual attention they all need. This means an average of £2,500 extra per pupil for the
schools teaching the million most deprived children in the country, funded by taking above-average earners out of the
tax credit system and cutting wasteful programmes at the Department for Education.
The Liberal Democrats will also phase out tuition fees over the course of six years, so that, after school, everyone
who gets the grades has the opportunity to go to university without fear of debt, no matter what their background.
Thirdly, the Liberal Democrats are the
only party committed to real change of
our political system.
This means getting big money and
corrupt donors out of politics altogether,
reducing the number of MPs by 150,
giving power over the police and NHS to
local communities, changing the voting system to abolish safe seats and giving you the right to sack corrupt MPs.
These are changes that would upend our political establishment.
Neither Labour or the Conservatives will ever offer change on this scale - they will defend the status quo to the last.
Only the Liberal Democrats offer the chance for a different politics. Another whitewash is unacceptable, we need
permanent change to make politics clean, fair and local.
The Liberal Democrats will shift
the economy away from the
traditional over-reliance on the
City of London and on financial
services.
Our plans will usher in a new era
where growth is enabled in every
part of Britain in a way that
promotes green technology and
creates lasting jobs.
We will put an end to the casino banking that caused the financial crisis by breaking up the banks and encouraging
regional and local ways to bring competition back to the financial sector and make sure businesses can find the money
they need to grow. Under our plans, councils will regain control of business rates, reconnecting local enterprise with
local politics; Local Enterprise Funds will help people invest in growing businesses in their area and Regional Stock
Exchanges will give companies a way to move into public equity without the huge risks and costs of a London listing.
The Liberal Democrats will also create a new National Infrastructure Bank to bring in private money to build the
transport links, energy grid and public buildings we need for a sustainable, low carbon economy in every part of Britain.

Northern Democrat is edited and published by Jonathan Wallace. If you have any issues
for inclusion in the February edition, email them to jonathanwallace@compuserve.com