http://southsuffolklibdems.org.uk/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from South Suffolk Liberal Democrats en-GB South Suffolk Liberal Democrats http://southsuffolklibdems.org.uk/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2010 South Suffolk Liberal Democrats 2010-07-29T15:01+01:00 United Kingdom http://southsuffolklibdems.org.uk/news/000164/andrew_duff_welcomes_new_investment_into_the_east_of_england.html Lib Dem Euro MEP Andrew Duff has welcomed the decision announced yesterday by the European Union to invest £ 450 m in Ford's research facility at Dunton in Essex. 2010-07-13T12:00+01:00 http://southsuffolklibdems.org.uk/news/000163/andrew_duff_welcomes_setting_up_of_new_eu_diplomatic_service_and_calls_for_active_common_policy.html Welcoming the decision of the European Parliament today to set up the new European External Action Service, Andrew Duff, Liberal Democrat MEP for the East of England, called for the EU to start a real debate on the content of foreign policy. "Now we have Europe speaking with one voice, we have to decide precisely what it is we want to say", he told the Parliament's plenary sitting in Strasbourg. "What we now need is an argument. If we fail to compare, contrast and contest each other's national foreign policies there will never be a common foreign, security and defence policy." 2010-07-07T10:00+01:00 http://southsuffolklibdems.org.uk/news/000161/lib_dem_peer_raises_threat_to_local_school_in_great_cornard.html Lord Phillips of Sudbury raised in the House of Lords debate the threat to Great Cornard Upper School of the Conservative policy of Free schools. Below is the speech: 2010-06-28T09:00+01:00 http://southsuffolklibdems.org.uk/news/000162/lib_dem_peer_moves_amendment_to_academies_bill.html Lord Phillips of Sudbury moved an amendment to the Academies Bill to protect successful local schools. The text below gives a summary of the amendment and his speech: 2010-06-28T00:00+01:00 http://southsuffolklibdems.org.uk/news/000160/shaking_up_british_democracy_is_message_from_nick_clegg.html Today I have given my first set-piece speech as Deputy Prime Minister - you can read the full speech here. I'm proud that this speech was on a topic which I know is close to every Liberal Democrat heart, political reform. 2010-05-19T20:28+01:00 http://southsuffolklibdems.org.uk/news/000159/social_justice_at_the_heart_of_difficult_decisions_states_david_laws_mp.html My Labour predecessor, Liam Byrne, left me a note saying 'Dear Chief Secretary, There's no money left.' He may claim this is joke, but sadly it is all too true. 2010-05-19T19:27+01:00 http://southsuffolklibdems.org.uk/news/000158/liberal_democrat_policies_in_the_new_government.html The policy agreement for the new Government is full of Liberal Democrat policies. It is a real chance to put into action the ideas that we have campaigned for. 2010-05-12T18:28+01:00 http://southsuffolklibdems.org.uk/news/000157/lib_dems_are_the_only_alternative_to_the_conservatives.html The Liberal Democrats increased their vote by 2,000 and the % share of the vote to nearly 31% while the Labour vote collapsed to under 15%. There were double the votes for the Liberal Democrats compared to Labour. 2010-05-08T12:00+01:00 http://southsuffolklibdems.org.uk/news/000156/undecided_voters_swing_to_lib_dems_following_final_leaders_debate.html Last night was the final of the three televised Leaders' debates. Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, debated with Gordon Brown and David Cameron about the economy. Subjects discussed included breaking up the banks, creating more jobs and reinvigorating the British economy. 2010-04-30T18:09+01:00 http://southsuffolklibdems.org.uk/news/000155/third_and_final_party_leaders_tv_debate_the_economy.html On Thursday 29th April from 8.30pm, BBC One will host the final live Prime Ministerial Debate of the General Election from the Midlands. Nick Clegg, Gordon Brown and David Cameron will again be going head to head in the run up to the General Election next Thursday. 2010-04-28T14:25+01:00 http://southsuffolklibdems.org.uk/news/000154/clegg_scores_second_win_in_party_leaders_debate.html An average of five polls conducted immediately after the Sky TV Leaders Election debate on Thursday night put Nick Clegg as the winner, with all instant polls showing him ahead of Gordon Brown. After the Foreign Affairs-led debate from Bristol dominated by issues like Iraq, immigration and climate change, Nick Clegg won 3 of the 5 polls on the night, building on his position after the first debate. 2010-04-23T15:06+01:00 http://southsuffolklibdems.org.uk/news/000153/second_party_leaders_tv_debate_foreign_affairs.html The second Party Leaders Debate is taking place this Thursday starting at 8pm on Sky News. Nick Clegg, Gordon Brown and David Cameron will again be going head to head in a TV debate in the run up to the General Election on May 6th, this time leading on Foreign Affairs. 2010-04-21T11:08+01:00 http://southsuffolklibdems.org.uk/news/000152/labour_rules_block_affordable_housing_in_long_melford.html "There is a desperate need for affordable housing in South Suffolk and when villages such as Long Melford have researched and produced their own Village Plan, identified a real need and have found a site. It seems crazy that Central Government rules do not allow them to provide housing. It is a good example of the need to give local councils more powers to meet the needs of their local populations." Said Nigel Bennett South Suffolk Lib Dem PPC. 2010-04-16T15:05+01:00 http://southsuffolklibdems.org.uk/news/000150/lib_dems_win_3rd_byelection_in_south_suffolk.html Liberal Democrats were celebrating the win in Great Cornard South for the Parish Council over both Conservatives and Labour. Colin Wright the Lib Dems candidate polled 41% of the vote while labour came third with 22%. 2010-04-16T00:27+01:00 http://southsuffolklibdems.org.uk/news/000149/more_needs_to_be_done_to_support_vocational_training.html The Liberal Democrat's Parliamentary candidate in South Suffolk, Nigel Bennett, is calling for more help for small businesses. In a visit to two small businesses in Little Cornard today he said "The UK economy needs better vocational skills as well as academic skills. Government must encourage a wide range of skills in young people giving vocational skills the same importance as academic skills. It must also help small businesses to take on the apprentices and provide the work based learning needed for many young people. This can be done by reducing red tape and funding." 2010-04-16T00:05+01:00