Nick Clegg has taken a strong stand on cleaning up Parliament and leading the call for a complete overhaul of our political system.

Give people the right to sack MPs
Stop all big party political donations
Elect the House of Lords
Make the voting system fair - so that governments can’t just get all that power and all that money with only a minority of you voting for them
Put an end to self serving politics and put you back in charge
But Nick can’t do it all on his own. He needs our help.

Mary Baldwin, the Liberal Democrat Leader at Bucks County Council said “at long last there is a groundswell for real reform of our broken political ystem. If you want to see British politics changed in this way then you can visit our new campaign site www.TakeBackPower.org and sign Nick’s petition.”

Councillor Alan Sherwell, the Liberal Democrat Leader at Aylesbury Vale District Council called for the word to be spreas and said “I’m sure we all know friends and family who have been appalled by the recent expenses scandal. Why not show them we are different? Email the www.TakeBackPower.org web address on to five other people and help Nick and the Liberal Democrats change politics for good.”

Nick Clegg today set out a plan to restore trust in the political process by putting power back in to the hands of the people.

The plan sets out radical reforms which can be achieved within 100 days including the ability for constituents to sack their MPs, overhauling MPs’ expenses, abolishing the House of Lords and electoral reform. Nick Clegg said that Parliament should not break for its summer recess until the constitutional crisis is resolved.100_days_to_save_democracy1

Nick said “The expenses scandal is only the tip of the iceberg. Our whole political system is broken and in need of radical reform to give power back to people and make Britain fairer. This opportunity to create a different kind of politics must be seized before momentum is lost. MPs should be stopped from leaving for their summer holidays until this crisis has been sorted out, and every nook and cranny of our political system reformed.”

The plan ‘100 Days to Save Democracy: Changing Politics for Good’ is attached. It can also be downloaded from www.takebackpower.org.

Aylesbury MEP Sharon Bowles visited the Aylesbury Mosque on Friday with local Lib Dem Councillors Tuffail Hussain, Niknam Hussain, Raj Khan and Tom Ahmed.

During the visit Sharon spoke with many local residents about issues they faced and about the work that the Liberal Democrat team in Europe have been doing on the important matters of Palestine, Iraq and Kashmir.

Speaking after the meeting Sharon said “I was pleased to be invited back to the Aylesbury Mosque and meet people and talk about the work the Euro team have been carrying out over the past five years.”

Cllr Tuffail Hussain with Sharon Bowles MEP. Tuffail said "The only political party activley working on these key issues is the Liberal Democrats.

Cllr Tuffail said, “I invited Sharon to visit us this week as the Liberal Democrats are the only political party that are prepared to take these important  issues to resolution.

We are the only party who firmly believe that the international community must act now to ease the suffering of so many under represented people. There should be no question of who to vote for next week, its Lib Dem all the way for me!”

Cllr Raj Khan added “that’s why we were proud to be the only major political party to attend the Gaza rally in Aylesbury in January. The Liberal Democrats really do work hard for the community and internationally”

Cllr Lambert "our place is in europe joining the debate, not shouting from the sidelines".

Aylesbury Liberal Democrats have challenged UKIP’s claims that EU membership costs the UK £40m per day. “This is just nonsense and scare tactics by a singel agenda party” said Cllr Steven Lambert.

The UK does make a net contribution to the EU, which varies year on year, but this year amounts to around £4bn. In reality, each person in the UK contributes £67 a year, or £1.29 per week, or 18p a day to the EU budget.

The EU budget supports agriculture, the environment, research and development, and infrastructure in poor regions and in countries that until recently were communist dictatorships.

Liberal Democrats believe that it is right that Britain pays its fair share to invest in the EU single market and in other programmes that benefit Britain and Europe. We believe that reforms to the EU budget and growing prosperity in poorer countries and regions will over time lessen the UK’s budget contributions.

Britain pays similar amounts into the budget as do other countries of Britain’s size and wealth. It is only right that Britain makes a budget contribution, as we take all the benefits of EU membership, such as the 3 million British jobs linked to trade with other EU countries. [1]

Government Spending and net EU budget contributions:

Government spending 2008-09: £623bn, net EU contribution: £3bn[2]
Government spending 2009/10: £671bn[3] , net EU contribution: £4.1bn[4] (i.e. 0.6% of total government spending)

Liberal Democrats in Aylesbury have stepped up their call for the Oxford/ Milton Keynes rail extension to go ahead as soon as possible and have backed proposals that will make it more likely that train companies will invest in badly needed improvements.

Cllr Niknam Hussain "The rail extension is massively important to Aylesbury’s economy"

County councillor Niknam Hussain who’s represents Aylesbury North and the site of the new Aylesbury Vale Parkway station called for the rail improvement in Bucks after business regulator, the Competition Commission, said the Government should allow train companies to have longer periods of time to run services.

“Currently, train companies are given franchises averaging seven years to run services,” said Niknam Hussain. “This is too short and means companies will not make long term investment decisions. This needs to change by increasing the length of time a company can operate, subject to the company reaching performance targets.

Liberal Democrats in Parliament have been calling for this for some time and I hope that the Labour Government can be persuaded to follow our call.

The rail extension is massively important to Aylesbury’s economy and the reduction of road traffic to and from Oxford and Milton Keynes. People drive into Aylesbury to work and shop causing traffic jams backing up for miles every day.

With Aylesbury’s population set to grow with the housing growth it is vital that the infrastructure is in place to meet commuter demand. The Berryfields development just opposite the new Aylesbury Vale Parkway station, will have thousands of residents when it is completed.
A fully operational commuter train link with Aylesbury we could cut commuter traffic and congestion by a huge amount.

Aylesbury Liberal Democrats welcome updated economic recovery plan
The Liberal Democrat shadow chancellor, Vince Cable MP, announced the updated Liberal Democrat economic plan to get the county out of the mess created by successive Labour and Conservative governments.

This plan brings together the party’s main policies to help people and businesses get through the recession, to ensure the economy recovers as quickly as possible, and to deliver economic stability and sustainability in the future.

Cllr Mary Baldwin the Liberal Democrat Leader at Bucks county council said “time and time again Vince Cable and the Liberal Democrats have been right on the economy and what needs to be done to get the country back on an even keel. This updated strategy shows that Vince Cable and the Lib Dems are ahead of the game and have a fully thought out strategy unlike the other parties.”

Reviewing the plan Cllr Paul Hughes said “The gap between the rich and the poor has widened significantly under Labour. This week a major think tank believes this will be the worst recession since the 1930s with house prices set to fall 28% on average overall. This Labour and Tory induced economic crisis needs managing. Only one in four voters back Brown and Darling to manage the economy properly. Out on the doorstep, people are telling me and my colleagues that they trust and believe Vince Cable and the Liberal Democrats have the right plan and can be trusted with the economy”.

Summary of the Plan. 
1. Massive investment programme to create jobs and help the environment
2. Cut taxes for struggling families so they have more money in their pockets
3. Keep people in their homes, so they don’t need to fear unfair repossessions
4. Lower energy bills so people can afford to heat their homes
5. Action to help people who lose their jobs or have debt problems
6. Ensure government-owned banks are run in the public interest to help keep businesses afloat
7. Reform banking and the City so this can never happen again
8. Action to deliver future economic stability
9. International action to reinvigorate global trade
10. New priorities for Government – cut waste and invest in education and families.

The Liberal Democrat European Manifesto

Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader has launched the Liberal Democrat Europen election campaign.

In his speech he warned that Brtiain must lead within the EU to protect families from crime, climate change and the recession. Nick published the Party’s European manifesto ‘Stronger Together, Poorer Apart’ in central London, and said: 

“We can only protect British families from crime, the recession and climate change if our country works with other EU countries. Criminals, business, climate change - these things cross borders. So the police, regulators, and environmental action have to cross borders too. It’s the EU that makes this essential cooperation possible.”

 Only the Liberal Democrats know how to provide security, jobs, and a clean environment by leading in the European Union. Liberal Democrats backed EU plans for the fast track extradition of thousands of criminals suspects across Europe - including 21/7 bomber Hussein Osman who was extradited in just three weeks from Rome. It would have taken months if UKIP and the Conservatives had succeeded in blocking these new rules.

The Liberal Democrats support EU police and judicial cooperation, which have achieved a huge amount in particular in relation to people trafficking and internet crime. One investigation known as Operation Koala managed to close down a website which contained 150 sexually explicit videos of underage girls and prosecute the people who ran it and its customers. Because the operators and users of this site were in a total of 28 different countries, it was only because of EU cooperation that the prosecution was swift and successful.”

You can download a copy of our manifesto here

Cllr Steven Kennell " A Lib Dem budget would take 4 million people out of paying tax all together and would cut the majority of people's income tax by £700."

10th May 2009
The Budget will do nothing for ordinary residents of Aylesbury who have been clobbered by rising food, fuel and transport prices, local Liberal Democrat have said. The Budget was criticised for failing to give much needed help to those struggling in recession by refusing to back Liberal Democrat calls to cut income tax by £700 for the vast majority of people.

Commenting Cllr Mary Baldwin, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats at the County Council said “as the cost of food, heating, water and transport continue to rise, families in Aylesbury haven’t been given any practical help by the Government. People who aren’t on huge salaries are noticing more and more of their cash is going on the basics. Gordon Brown should be putting money back into their pockets by cutting income tax for the vast majority of taxpayers by £700.”

Cllr Alan Sherwell the Leader of the Liberal Democrats at the District Council said “Britain’s taxes are too heavy on those who can least afford it and too easy to avoid for those who know how. Labour is out of ideas and out of steam. This Government has condemned us to years of unemployment and a decade of debt. The country deserves something different.”

County Councilor Steven Kennell the Aylesbury Liberal Democrat spokesman for Finance said “A Liberal Democrat budget would deliver practical help. It would take 4 million people out of paying tax all together and would cut the majority of people’s income tax by £700. Paid for by cutting loophole and exemptions that benefit the richest individuals and big business. We would cancel the pointless VAT cut and invest in important green projects that create jobs right now.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives are planning swingeing cuts at the very time that the country is expected to be gradually starting to recover. We would take big choices about what government should and shouldn’t do. With a shocking deficit this year of £175bn we need a national debate about what the state can and cannot afford in the future.

The Liberal Democrats believe that this is the responsible way - the honest way - to reduce spending in the years ahead and avoid painful higher taxes. The country deserves something better - a Liberal Democrat government, Vince Cable as Chancellor and a tax system that has everybody paying their fair share.”

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg meets Gurkhas after victory

10th May 2009

Liberal Democrats in Aylesbury are delighted that Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats forced the government into an embarrassing u-turn on proposals to allow those who had fought for Britain to remain in the UK.

County Councilor Freda Roberts said “the Government’s policy of deporting Gurkhas and not allowing them to settle in the UK after fighting for our country was shameful. The Gurkhas are brave people who have served the UK over many generations. We owe a debt of gratitude to their service”.

The vote on a Liberal Democrat motion was held in the House of Commons on 29th April and resulted in a shock defeat for the Government. “The Labour plans would have seen thousands of Gurkhas being deported from the UK,” said Aylesbury East councilor, Jenny Puddefoot, “but the Government was defeated because a few concerned Labour MPs defied their party bosses and backed the Gurkhas who have so bravely fought for Britain. The Government has a moral duty to support those who have put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms and fight for our country.”

The Government must take notice of the will of Parliament and bring back new proposals that will allow Gurkhas to stay rather than have them kicked out of the country. Gordon Brown must have a change of heart and bring forward new proposals as soon as possible.

Cllr Paul Hughes "The Lib Dems are different to the other political parties. Click on the link and take a look".

9th May 2009

Ever since he became Party Leader, Nick Clegg has been travelling around the country holding regular town hall meetings. These have been really successful, with people across the country getting the chance to put their questions to Nick. Many people have found them enjoyable and engaging.

Our election broadcasts - “Conversations with Nick Clegg” - features one of these meetings, showing Nick putting the Liberal Democrat case directly to the electorate. You can watch the film on our YouTube channel from this link. Watch.

Cllr Paul Hughes said “This podcast with Nick Clegg proves that the Lib Dems are the only major politcal party that really listen to people. Nick’s Town Hall meetings are proof that we really are a new fresh voice in politics”.