Elisabeth Wilson writes: I have been contacted by a number of voters about the coalition government. If you want to see the full text of the agreement, follow this link:
I am surprised but pleased that some Lib Dem policies I campaigned on will be implemented, especially raising the threshold for income tax to £10,000, which will help the lower paid. I am also glad there will NOT be ID cards.
I received the following email from Baroness Ros Scott, Lib Dem party president:
“You will have seen from the news that the party’s Federal Executive and parliamentary party yesterday approved the coalition agreement negotiated with the Conservative Party.
“Both bodies endorsed it overwhelmingly, by much more than a three-quarters majority. The provisions of the ‘triple lock’ procedure approved by conference in 1998 have therefore been satisfied, and there is no requirement for a special conference to endorse the agreement.
“However, Liberal Democrats remain a democratic party, and we believe it right to consult our membership on this momentous occasion in our party’s history. The Federal Executive is therefore calling a special conference to take place on Sunday 16 May (1–5pm), in the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.
“The only item of debate on the agenda will be a motion to endorse the coalition agreement.”
Elisabeth writes: 8335 thank yous to everyone who voted Lib Dem on Thursday. I increased the Lib Dem vote by over 1000, and showed we are a force to be reckoned with.
We were also very pleased to gain 2 extra seats on the Council. Congratulations to Ashley Evans in Warley, and Pauline Nash in Skircoat. You can contact them as follows:
Elisabeth Wilson and Lord David Shutt talking to a visitor in Shibden Park
Lord David Shutt, better known in Calderdale as a former councillor and popular mayor, was out with Halifax Liberal Dempcrat candidate Elisabeth Wilson and her supporters in Shibden Park on Monday Bank Holiday. This was the third walkabout, following Northowram and Sowerby Bridge on Saturday. Lord Shutt was pleased to meet old friends as well as new faces.
“Elisabeth is a candidate with a breadth of experience as a councillor, health authority member and school governor” said Lord Shutt. “She has proved herself as a very able campaigner previously and will be an excellent MP for Halifax.”
Elisabeth said: “It’s a great way to meet people and chat to them in an informal way. some people just say hello, and others want to ask more detailed questions about Lib Dem policies. The more they find out, the more impressed they are with our messages about fairness in tax, a fair start for children with extra money for schools, and fair approach to the economy and more green jobs, and of course cleaning up Parliament.
Lord Shutt is chief whip for the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords.
Floella Benjamin and Elisabeth Wilson chat to shoppers in Harveys department store, Halifax.
Popular TV presenter Floella Benjamin visited Halifax on Saturday to add her support to Elisabeth Wilson’s campaign to be MP for the town. They met in Harvey’s department store, where Floella delighted both young and old. Floella talked about the importance of interaction with young children, and the need for high quality TV programmes for children. She also backs Lib Dems plans for extra money for schools.
Floella urged voters to back Elisabeth Wilson for MP. “The combination of Lib Dem policies and Elisabeth’s care for individuals is just what Halifax needs,” she said.
Later on Saturday Lib Dems did walkabouts in Northowram and Sowerby Bridge.
Elizabeth Ward, candidate for Northowram, and Elisabeth Wilson, parliamentary candidate, chat with shoppers in Northowram
Elisabeth Ward, candidate for Northowram, and Elisabeth Wilson talked to shoppers in Northowram.
Elisabeth Wilson and Michael Lumb (centre) with supporters in Sowerby Bridge
In Sowerby Bridge Lib Dems turned out in support of candidate Michael Lumb.
Elisabeth says: “Many people wanted to talk about Lib Dem policies, particularly on the first £10,000 being free of tax, and also our fair deal for pensioners.
” I also had a longer chat with an ex-serviceman who felt that mental health services are not good enough for people like him. It is only by going out and about and talking to people that you find out what is on their minds.
” As I have found throughout this campaign, voters feel Labour has failed, but they are not at all sure they can trust the Conservatives. That is why many tell me they are choosing Lib Dem this time, many for the first time ever.”
The forgotten 1.5m victims of Equitable Life were the subject of a private meeting on Friday with Elisabeth Wilson, Liberal Democrat candidate for Halifax, and Diana Wallis, MEP for Yorkshire and Humberside.
Elisabeth Wilson said: “After this was raised by voters in Halifax, I was shocked to find out that this has been dragging on since 2001, and the Labour government has refused to implement the recommendations of the Ombudsman. It has severely effected many people’s retirement. It’s another example of poor regulation of the financial sector.”
Liberal Democrats have taken action in parliament both at Westminster and Brussels as a team effort. Vince Cable MP, Shadow Chancellor, has pushed the case in London with the backing of all the Liberal Democrat MPs. But in October 2009 the government forced Labour members to vote against the Ombudsman’s recommendations with a three line whip.
Diana Wallis. Liberal Democrat MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber, was a key player in writing a report for the European Parliament. This looked at the failure of Equitable Life in the UK, Germany and Eire. She said: “The Equitable Life fiasco was an early warning that financial regulation was not right. But the Labour government hasn’t accepted responsibility.
“People paid into something which wasn’t properly regulated, and they lost a lot of money.”
Elisabeth Wilson has pledged to support the Equitable Life victims’ fight for compensation.
Liberal Democrats held a meeting mainly for women on Thursday morning at Queens Road Neighbourhood Centre, Halifax. Women who attended were reassured by Elisabeth Wilson, parliamentary candidate for Halifax, that Liberal Democrats are committed to keeping Sure Start and Child Tax Credits. They also welcomed the news that under the Liberal Democrats the first £10,000 of earnings would be free of income tax, which adds up to £700 a year extra. Feeling safe in society was another topic. The meeting welcomed the proposed Liberal Democrat increase in West Yorkshire Police of 109, compared with the recent drop of 54 under Labour.
Fairness in education was raised by Shazad Fazal, when he explained that extra funding would be available to schools under the Liberal Democrats, £90,000 for the average primary school. The audience welcomed the idea of smaller classes, one-to-one tuition, and catch-up classes for those who need them. The need for Halifax High School to have a sixth form was also discussed. Shazad pointed out that only the Liberal Democrats are committed to the abolition of student fees.
Shazad stressed the need to develop a fair and tolerant society where there is equal opportunity and deprivation is tackled. And Elisabeth told the women about plans to give all unemployed young people the opportunity of a job, training, education, and internship, or an apprenticeship.
Women who attended thanked the Liberal Democrats, as no other party has done this. They were also interested to hear about Liberal Democrat’s special initiatives to help candidates from Asian and other minority ethnic bakcgounds.
The meeting was also addressed by Cllr Mohammed Ilyas, and Pauline Nash, candidate for Skircoat ward.
Elisabeth Wilson and Shazad Fazal at Beech Hill School
Elisabeth writes: Monday was a busy day. It started with a school gate visit to Christ Church School Pellon with Cllr Jennifer Pearson. We are getting a good response from parents to Lib Dem plans for extra money for schools and a fair tax system.
At 10 am I called in at the Dill project, a self help group for men with chronic conditions, invited by My Uddin, who initiated the group. This is self help in action!
Then it was on to Salterlee school, to talk to the top class about Lib Dem principles and policy. We had an interesting discussion that ranged over how being made to conform to other people’s expectation was a bit like bullying. The children welcome the idea of more money for their school. They also raised points about possible unemployment, and liked the “Robin Hood” principle of Lib Dem policies on tax.
Some were interested in joining the Lib Dems, and I explained about how ordinary members could be involved in policy making.
My next stop was another school gate visit, this time with our candidate for Warley, Pauline Nash.
Last, but not least was the open Hustings organised by Churches Together in Halifax. As a Quaker and Christian in my opening statement I talked about the links between Christian beliefs and Liberal Democrat principles:
First, the need to cherish each individual, and if necessary defend their rights.
Second, caring for creation, which includes caring for the environment as stewards of the earth.
Elisabeth talking to pupils at Salterlee school
Third, the quest for social justice. I pointed out that after 13 years of a Labour government a bright child from a poor home in Britain today is overtaken at school by a less bright child from a better off home. This is unacceptable. And our gap between rich and poor is as big as when Charles Dickens was writing “Hard Times” in the middle of the 19th century. These would be tackled by Lib Dem policies on extra money for schools, and lifting the limit for paying tax to £10,000, giving most people £700 extra a year.
Questions ranged over Palestine/Israel, asylum seekers, replacing the House of Lords, adult education, buses, tackling the deficit, religious discrimination in the workplace, and climate change.
Working for you - Nick Clegg supports Elisabeth Wilson's decent homes campaign
I will put local people first. I will be there to help, listen to your concerns and stand up for our community. I will:
have an office in the constituency open at advertised times every week.
let you know how you can contact me with any concerns – by phone, email and by holding regular surgeries in easily accessible places.
ask you every year to complete a survey about what matters to you and report back on what I am doing.
I will make sure your voice is heard – locally and at Westminster. I will be a strong voice for Halifax. I will:
Push for jobs, training, education or internships for all under 25s unemployed for more than 3 months. Some of these will be new green jobs, such as insulating homes
Work for a fair deal for pensioners
Support reform of the banks
meet regularly with local service providers like the police, health services and residents’ groups.
I will be open and honest about all expenses incurred in representing you. I will:
publish details on my personal website.
answer questions you may have about them promptly.
Lord William Wallace was the main speaker at a packed meeting at Raven Street Youth Centre, Halifax organized by the Liberal Democrats on Sunday night 18 April, in support of Elisabeth Wilson, candidate for Halifax, and Shazad Fazal, candidate for Park ward. Lord Wallace is the principal spokesperson on Foreign and Commonwealth affairs for Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords. He reminded the audience that Liberal Democrats had opposed the Iraq war, and are calling for an agreed date of withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Brought up as a protestant Christian, Lord Wallace welcomed the fact that in Britain today all faiths talk to each other. He warned about the rise of fundamentalist Christians in the U.S. who want a confrontation with Islam. Lord Wallace also spoke about areas of concern, such as South Asia, and in particular Kashmir. Last, he welcomed the development of Islamic study centres in UK universities.
Shazad Fazal, candidate for Park ward, talked about the needs of the area. He praised Liberal Democrat plans to invest £12m in Calderdale schools, as a move towards equality and fairness. Shazad also talked about the need for affordable housing, more play areas, and a new youth centre to replace Raven Street.
Elisabeth Wilson, Liberal Democrat candidate for Halifax, said she was angry about the £167bn deficit, pointing out it was £13,000 for everyone sitting in the meeting. Liberal Democrats have a plan to reduce it, including getting rid of ID cards, to which Liberal Democrats are opposed. She spoke in favour of bank reform, especially as HBoS, a major employer in Halifax, has been taken over by the Lloyds group. She insisted that banks should be smaller and more regionally based, splitting up the ordinary banking from the high risk.
Elisabeth also spoke about the 3000 unemployed people in Halifax, including 900 under 25, and Lib Dem plans to help them back to work.
She told the audience that the Liberal Democrats have a special programme to encourage members from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds to become candidates. Forty three candidates (7%) from BME backgrounds are standing in the general election.
Janet Battye, leader of the Liberal Democrats on Calderdale council, attacked the Conservative administration for its secretiveness, waste of money and poor performance, particular in relation to vulnerable children.
The main speakers were supported by Cllr Mohammed Ilyas and other speakers from the local community.
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