Latest news

Local Elections 2012 – Video

18th April 2012

A quick look at part of this week’s Liberal Democrat Local Election Broadcast. This clip looks at our key pledge to cut taxes for working families, and celebrates the fact that Liberal Democrats in government have achieved:

  • The biggest-ever single uplift in the tax-free personal allowance
  • 840,000 of the lowest earners in the country lifted completely out of paying Income Tax
  • A £3.5 billion tax cut for working men and women

Next year, the allowance increases again to £9,205 – within touching distance of our manifesto promise to increase the Income Tax threshold to £10,000.

These are all significant achievements that are already making a difference for millions of hard-working men and women across Britain. Real change for real families in tough times – promised and delivered by the Liberal Democrats.

Referendum – Should Birmingham Have an Elected Mayor?

25th March 2012

On the 3rd May, together with the local council elections, we have the opportunity to vote on whether or not Birmingham should have a directly elected mayor.

The question will be:

How would you like Birmingham City Council to be run? By a leader who is an elected councillor chosen by a vote of the other elected councillors. This is how the council is run now OR by a mayor who is elected by voters. This would be a change from how the council is run now.

You can download the Notice of Referendum here

Budget 2012: For the many, not the few

23rd March 2012

This weeks budget has included a number of good Liberal Democrat policies.

Over 20 million working people will be better off next year after Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government delivered the biggest ever increase in the income tax personal allowance.

The massive £3.5bn tax cut for working people delivers:

  • The biggest ever single uplift in the tax threshold.
  • A personal allowance of £9,205 in April 2013.
  • 21 million working people getting an extra £220 tax cut.
  • Brings the total tax cut for basic rate tax payers to £550.
  • Brings the total number of people lifted out of tax to 2 million.

The Liberal Democrats have ensured this is a budget for the millions not for the millionaires. That’s why the biggest move in this Budget is a tax cut for ordinary workers, going further and faster towards the Liberal Democrat goal of making the first ten thousand pounds you earn tax-free. From a pledge on the front page of our 2010 manifesto directly to the pockets of working people.

Thanks to the Liberal Democrats, people working full time earning the minimum wage will have seen their income tax bill cut in half.

We have delivered on Nick Clegg’s pledge to go “further and faster” on the personal tax allowance. This means that 21million basic rate taxpayers will get an extra £220 cut in their income tax bills and a further 840,000 people will be taken out of paying income tax altogether.

Last years announcement that Child Benefit would be withdrawn from higher-rate tax payers caused many people to question the rules – especially for one earner familes. The budget today introduced a higher limit before the benefit is withdrawn and a “taper” to make the scheme.

The Liberal Democrats were also commited to making sure that this was a budget that saw those earning most paying their fair share. New taxes on the very richest will raise FIVE times as much from the super-rich as next years cut on the top rate of tax from 50p to 45p will cost:

  • Stamp duty increased to 7% for multi-million pound homes
  • New 15% tax on companies buying property over £2m
  • Crack-down on tax avoidance for the richest

To stimulate the economy, there are new measures to help businesses across the country:

  • Reducing red-tape on business taxes for small business.
  • Cutting corporation tax to help British business.
  • Getting more money from the banks to loan more to British businesses.

Budget Message from the Deputy Prime Minister

21st March 2012


We can be proud that the biggest tax cuts in today’s Budget go to millions of working families.

As a result of this Budget, someone working a full week on minimum wage will see their income tax bill cut by over 50% compared to under Labour.

Increasing the personal allowance to £9,205 takes us within touching distance of our number one manifesto pledge – ensuring no one pays any tax on the first £10,000 they earn.

Thanks to our changes, a basic rate taxpayer will be paying £45 a month less in tax than they would have been under Labour.

We can be proud that we’ve ensured the richest in our society will be paying more, much more.

The Tycoon Tax, an increase in stamp duty for high value properties and other new taxes on wealth will raise five times as much as the 50p tax rate. Those with annual incomes of more than £150,000 a year will be paying on average an additional £1,300 a year in tax, as a result of this Budget.

Of course, this is a Coalition Budget and we did not get our own way on everything. Conservative priorities are not ours. But as on so many other issues, we have made sure that there is a real Liberal Democrat stamp on this Budget.

Lower taxes for more than 20 million working people; effective new taxes on the rich.

This is a Budget we can be proud of – a Budget for the many, not the few.

Best wishes,

 

Nick Clegg

 

Tuition Fees – Monster or Myth?

2nd October 2011

I left University in 1999 and was lucky enough to get a grant for my first year and a reasonable loan for the rest of my academic career. I can remember having to start paying back the loan pretty much straight after graduation when I started my new job.

I believe that all education should be free for those with the aptitude and willingness to learn. I am also a realist and know that unless the money is found through fair taxation this will never happen.

These days, with increased tuition fees and all the myths that have built up around it, it must be difficult for people considering going to University to make a fair and balanced decision.

If you are already in higher education the increase in cost does not affect you. It only applies to students entering higher education for the first time in September 2012 or later.

Can you afford to go to University? It’s important to remember that the cost of tuition does not have to be paid up front. You only start to repay your tuition loan when you are earning more than £21,000. Supporting loans or grants may also be available to help cover living costs. This means that under the new arrangements, most full-time students should have the same amount of financial support available as current students. Students from lower income families will get more non-repayable maintenance support to help towards living costs than they do now.

Will you  be saddled with a lifetime of debt as a result of the changes? No.

A graduate earning £25,000 per year would repay their loan at a rate of £6.92 per week. If earnings fall, then the repayments will fall as well. Graduates won’t have to pay back anything until they are earning more than £21,000 a year.

The £21,000 earning threshold will be uprated annually in line with earnings from April 2016.

Any outstanding payments will be written off after 30 years. If you are in lower paid work or unpaid work (which may include time bringing up a family) you won’t be asked to make a contribution.

Are we encouraging a class-based education system, with universities out of reach for students from poorer communities? No

Many students from poorer backgrounds will be better off under the new system, additional support is available through grants and loans. The National Scholarship Programme also aims to encourage more bright students from poorer communities go to university.

Nick Clegg’s Speech to Liberal Democrat Conference 2011

22nd September 2011

This year Liberal Democrat Confrence was in Birmingham. Nick Clegg gave his speech highlighting the good things the Liberal Democrats have done in government.

“The Right accuse us of being a sinister left wing clique, who’ve duped powerless Conservatives. I do wish they’d make up their mind.” – Nick Clegg, September 2011

Parliamentary Boundary Changes: Sutton Coldfield

12th September 2011

There are too many MP’s in Parliament, with a huge difference in the number of constituents each MP represents.

For the next general election the number of MPs is being cut from 650 to 600. This means that some constituencies are going to disappear and many of those remaining will have more electors. The Boundary Commission have now published their report and are proposing changes to the Sutton Coldfield and Erdington boundaries.

Birmingham Erdington will expand and gains the electors who live in Castle Bromwich ward of Solihull Borough. Erdington also gets Sutton New Hall ward from Sutton Coldfield. Sutton Coldfield itself gets Kingstanding ward from Erdington in compensation and will now consist of Four Oaks, Kingstandng, Trinity and Vesey wards. This arrangement splits up the historic Royal Borough area. The Boundary Commission have to try and equalise the number of voters in every Parliamentary constituency without regard for local authority or former political boundaries.

I agree with the changes in principle, but have grave concerns with splitting up the historic Sutton Coldfield!

Emmanuel Road Cherry Trees

22nd May 2011

It has been reported to me by a concerned resident, and mentioned in local papers, about the

Cherry Blossom

Image: Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

destruction of a number of cherry trees on Emmanuel Road, Wylde Green.

Apparently Amey, on a works instruction from the City Council, cut down a number of healthy cherry trees, severing their trunks at waist height on 16th May.

The trees were planted only four years ago and are reported to have been in perfect health and not causing an obstruction.

I will investigate with the council and find out why the trees were cut down.

The council statement on Urban and Suburban trees is:

Birmingham City Council is fully committed to caring for its trees to ensure they continue to thrive for the benefit of the people and wildlife in Birmingham. Management and maintenance of Birmingham’s trees is to a high standard to make sure all the City Council’s duties and legal responsibilities are met.

NHS Reform

20th May 2011

NHS LogoI have great respect for the NHS. But I am also aware that the country, especially areas like Sutton Coldfield, have an ageing population. The NHS is already struggling to cope and some type of reform is needed.

The Liberal Democrats have been working hard on amendments to the health secretary Andrew Lansley’s NHS plans. David Cameron continues to deny that the Conservatives intend to privatise the NHS, even when his colleagues say the complete opposite See this BBC Article

The Conservative proposals need to be scrapped or face some fundamental changes to make sure key NHS Services are not put at risk.

Most people understand that the NHS needs to change. The ageing population and the costs of its own success make the existing system unworkable.

Shouldn’t we be looking at more care by GPs and nurses to try and avoid the expensive hospital care? In the last years of life many patients would have died in a sterile hospital, but are now being cared for in hospices. This is a welcome and positive change. This is the type of reform we need to be doing.

The brand new £26million ward block at Good Hope Hospital will soon open. The modern, cost effective four storey building has been designed to develop and improve patient services. This type of expenditure must continue to ensure the services for the people of Sutton Coldfield are upheld at the high level we already experience.

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    • A shame i think RT @bbcwm: Birmingham mayor referendum result: NO 120,611; YES 88,085 #wmvotes #brummayor
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