The grammar school row engulfing the Tory party outs a green politician – green n the gills. The first lesson most learn in politics is not to unnecessarily pick a fight with your own, something that Cameron has time and again failed to learn. Be it the botched pullout from the European Peoples Party ignoring the Tory grass roots over taxes, and now, by failing to keep his spokespeople on message, Grammar schools.

We don’t know what caused him to have such an absence of judgement, he clearly didn’t consult his front bench, or his party, but dragging out a row for 3 weeks doesn’t show the Tory party is changing, its showing it’s split.

The Tories are not led by a tory, and in the aftermath of an unpopular labour leader who was in name, but not of, the labour tradition, the British Public really have had enough of such cynical re-branding for re-brandings sake and by the looks of it, so have the conservative grass roots.

I believe that our education policy should be based on improving equality of opportunity for all, but I recognise that academic selection can be a useful tool in helping to propel the most promising, regardless of social background, or indeed age. Deciding a Childs future at an arbitrary and unscientific age as the 11+ did remains wrong, giving children the right emphasis for their individual needs should, in my opinion, be where we should be moving toward; either way it is clear that Cameron needs to head back to school.

Martin Shapland

Liberty

Human rights? The terms gone out of fashion of late, after all who needs rights like the right to remain silent, the presumption of innocence until proven guilt? You know those little things no citizen would ever need.

Tony Blair today made an announcement (though I don’t know why, he’s like the last drunk at a house party) that would extend the powers of the police to stop and search anyone if there is suspicion of committing an offence or not. From the BBC

“Proposed new anti-terror laws could give police greater powers to stop and question anyone in the UK. … Anyone refusing to co-operate could be fined up to £5,000.”

I salute him as a gentlemen and a scholar. I can see the line now. Police: Tell us everything you know or we’ll give you the right to remain silent.

There’s something rotten about this government, the aim of the terrorism we face is to change our liberties and way of live, yet the government seem to be doing all that for them. This extension of the terror laws comes hot on the heels of the announcement earlier this week that Control orders were flawed. They are; house arrest without the right not to be detained without charge or punished without being found guilty.

After 3 suspected suspects escaped their control orders Mr Reid blamed the Tories, us, Judges, the human rights act (opting out of inalienable human rights is a novel, if ultimately flawed approach) God, Leeds, and possibly at some point himself for the escapes.

He claimed that control orders are not ’strong enough’ a novel approach to crime and punishment: Simply plucking people off the street kind of ignoring the age old tried and tested Justice system that’s the envy of the world, you know, the one with independent judges, Jury trials, and punishment fitting the crime. If you suspect someone is guilty of a crime, and have evidence to support it then the proper method to deal with it is not draconian new terror laws, but to get out the government barrister and establish guilt in an impartial, non party political court, the same atmosphere John reed is calling for with these new laws. There is a reason for the separation of State and Justice, even the Americans could tell you that, hell they wrote it down 300 years ago.

Instead our criminal justice system today draws parallels with Nazi Germany and Guantanamo bay; only the self proclaimed defenders of freedom would have a prison camp in one of the worst dictatorships left. Judicial Independence is being usurped by a government department of Justice, thers new laws designed to end the right to Jury trial, ASBO’s ruin a young persons life, giving them a criminal record as young as 10 when what is often needed is support, guidance and rehabilitation, the prisons are full, and that’s despite half the prisoners managing to run away!

A government should defend liberty, not take it away. This country neither wants, nor deserves this shoddy government.

Students passing through the guild recently may have noticed that despite the good weather we’ve been having recently the fountain in Mermaid square is suspiciously bone dry. It’s not because the sun’s been drying it out, it’s because Guild President Gary Hughes refuses to put it on.

We in the society don’t think much of the argument that the fountain is too environmentally damaging, or expensive to run as Mr Hughes has been suggesting, or the argument that it’s too dangerous a risk to have there, if students in the 20’s could deal with the dangers of running water, then Lib Dem soc finds the notion patronising that today’s students have dumbed down so much.

Rather we think that the Guild President is being a spoilsport, and a little hypocritical, keen eyed students (or perhaps just the hacks then) might have noticed that the Guild was interviewing for a General Manager between the 18^th and 19^th and the fountain was on to, quote “impress the new Chief Executive Officer of the Guild of Students.” (Gary Hughes May 22^nd) Funny, we thought the candidate was meant to impress the employer, not the other way round.

It’s silly that the guild president is being so childish on this issue, a fountain is meant to look pretty with water, not gathering dust, and if the exec think it’s too expensive to run I’m sure we could have a whip around… not that Student Beer Money keeps the Guild in money or anything…

How can you help? There’s a petition here, and Theo Lomas, and Martin Shapland (Conservative Future and Liberal Democrat execs) have put in a motion to guild council to ensure that it gets switched on, so back it and turn up on the 7^th June… but Gary, if you’re reading this, don’t let it come to a motion, from everyone in the Lib Dem society, the Conservative Future society, and most in the student body, cut the red tape and oh won’t you please turn our fountain on?

Well, as we all expected Gordon Brown will be handed the keys to No. 10 Downing Street on the 27th June, after his coronation from the Labour Party.  Whilst some argue this is a natural transference of power it shows that the Labour Party in Parliament is out of touch with its grassroots members - many of which were hoping for a leadership contest.

But moving on from the Labour Party’s lack of election, now attention turns to the question of a General Election. Gordon Brown has no electoral mandate. Tony Blair stated throughout the last general election campaign, and at other points throughout his second term as PM, that he would serve a full third term as Prime Minister. Surely we, the people of this country deserve the chance to have our say on whether or not we want Gordon Brown as our Prime Minister?

Perhaps the Labour Party should realise that we no longer live under the rule of a monarchy, and coronations of our political leaders went out with the civil war.

Thanks to everyone who came to the panel debate last Friday, where students heard the panellists discuss a range of topics, from Scottish devolution to a mayor for Birmingham, viewpoints debated, argued and bitterly fought over.

Thanks to all the speakers, and special thanks to Mark Gettelson for accepting our invitation at such short notice. We hope everyone had a good time, and will be arranging another for next term.

Meet Bushrat Ali, Bristol Labour Council Candidate

After being accused of being pro war he stuck this a photo on his leaflets proving he was at the anti war march in 2003

Then someone found the real photo, of a pro Hizbullah rally, proving it was photoshopped, he could of at least go the right demonstration!

Busted!

So some clever sod came up with this:

…

Thankfully… he lost

Do you care about tuition fees? Do you care about violence on the streets? Do you care about how your grandparents are looked after in their old age? Do you care about ending racism, sexism and homophobia? Do you care about freedom of speech? If you care about any of these things then you care about politics.

Politics is about trying to change the country in the way that you want it changed. It is about taking a vision of how you want society to be and putting that vision into reality. People say this isn’t easy, that it can’t be done, but this is not the case.

Through politics you really can put your vision into reality - the Liberal Democrats prove you can. Where we are in Government in Scotland, the Liberal Democrats have abolished tuition fees; introduced free personal care for the elderly; and introduced free bus travel for pensioners.

In Westminster, where we are only the third largest party, we have consistently managed to change the Labour Government’s mind on important on issues like civil liberties and equality. It was the Liberal Democrats who stood firm and helped stop the Government making laws where someone could be locked up without a trial, or even charge, for three months; it was the Liberal Democrats who tabled the Bill in Parliament that now means gay couples are able to have civil partnership; and it was the Liberal Democrats who opposed “religious hatred” laws which could, in some circumstances, have stopped people joking or even criticising other religions.

We were also the only major party to vote against the war in Iraq, even though, on that occasion, the combined Labour and Conservative parties steamrollered the decision through.

Even in Local Government we have shown that real progress can be made. In Liberal Democrat run Liverpool we have managed to cut burglary by 20% and in Newcastle we have cut violent crime fell by 12%.

Politics does matter and you can change things.

You want to abolish your tuition fees? You want to feel safe on the streets? You want to end discrimination and protect freedom of speech? The Liberal Democrats show that this all can be done. Whether or not this is your vision, it proves that you can make a difference.

Lorely Burt is MP for Solihull and one of the society’s honorary presidents

Lib Dems on Campus

Congratulations to our Councillors!

The BBC estimate of our national share of the vote in the English local elections showed us on 26%, 1% down on last time, although we’ve lost some councillors, we’ve won more seats than Labour 2,040/1,784 and about half the Tory total. Of course, we’ve held our own in Scotland and Wales, and are likly to be Kingmakers in the devolved institutions

Closer to home we held our own in Birmingham, with Cllr Robert Wright increasing his Majority, it was also a good election for Party Youth Cllr’s, with Chris Ward and Alan Muhammed taking seats in Guildford in particular, a good example of Students making the Difference, as in Chris’s Ward, which included the University of Surrey, saw us take all 3 seats, congrats also to Adam Killeya (Caradon) Nick Coombes (Bath) Armand Edwards (Bathwick) Adi Smith (Hinckley and Bosworth) and Alex Woodman (Bristol) Just some of the Youth Party success’s this year.

Thanks to all those who voted in Selly Oak, and helped in the campaign, it made all the difference!

Lib Dem’s on Campus

 Welcome to the University Of Birmingham Guild of Students Liberal Democrat Youth and Student Society, but we just call ourselves Lib Dems on Campus, it’s easier that way.

We’ve set up this Blog to keep in touch with our supporters and members, and to promote free speech and debate on Campus. The responsibility for updating the blog is the committee’s, but we’re currently looking for helpers and writers who have something to say! Get in touch with us at libdem@guild.bham.ac.uk or join us on facebook by searching for Liberal Democrats on Campus

So have your say, get involved and please bookmark this blog!

Cheers

Lib Dems on Campus

Hi!

If you’ve managed to find us before we’ve gone live welcome to the site!

We’ll be up to speed in no time!