http://www.swhertslibdems.org.uk/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from South West Hertfordshire Liberal Democrats en-GB South West Hertfordshire Liberal Democrats http://www.swhertslibdems.org.uk/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2010 South West Hertfordshire Liberal Democrats 2010-07-29T18:12+01:00 United Kingdom http://www.swhertslibdems.org.uk/news/000178/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://www.swhertslibdems.org.uk/news/000177/over_the_moon_freight_terminal_refused.html Aislinn Lee, Liberal Democrat County Councillor for the area of the proposed Freight Terminal has welcomed the decision by the Secretary of State to refuse planning permission for the Freight Terminal. 2010-07-08T12:21+01:00 http://www.swhertslibdems.org.uk/news/000176/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://www.swhertslibdems.org.uk/news/000174/record_turnout_at_croxley_revels_2010.html Organisers hailed "the biggest Croxley Revels they can remember" as thousands of people swamped Croxley Green for the annual event on Saturday 19 June. Societies, clubs, organisations and schools from across the village and neighbouring towns set up more than 80 stalls on The Green. 2010-06-24T13:51+01:00 http://www.swhertslibdems.org.uk/news/000175/nick_clegg_joins_liberal_democrat_councillors_at_packed_london_conference.html Liberal Democrat Herts County Councillors Nick Hollinghurst and Ron Tindall today attended an excellent one-day conference in Transport House, Smith Square. Held by the Local Government Association for Liberal Democrat Councillors it was notable for is optimism, confidence and cordiality. Starting out with a brisk canter through recent events Nick Clegg was at his frank, friendly best as he opened proceedings - then plunging straight in to a no-holds barred Q&A session. Delegates were surprised to learn some of the politics behind the press reports during the election campaign. Several of Labour's last-minute announcements were nothing more than cynical, uncosted commitments of unknown amounts of future tax to buy the political support of specific groups or areas. 2010-06-19T22:03+01:00 http://www.swhertslibdems.org.uk/news/000173/herts_lib_dem_county_group_welcomes_new_colleague.html New County Cllr Martin Frearson received a warm welcome from the Herts County Council Liberal Democrat Group at their first meeting since the St Albans By-Election. 2010-06-13T14:12+01:00 http://www.swhertslibdems.org.uk/news/000172/success_in_st_albans__lib_dems_win_both_byelections.html These by-elections were caused by the untimely death in March of Mike Ellis, who had held a St Albans City seat for some time, and a Herts County Council seat for just over a year. With the changed parliamentary situation and the current political turmoil they were an interesting test of public opinion at a time of transition. 2010-06-06T13:25+01:00 http://www.swhertslibdems.org.uk/news/000171/reduce_your_risk_of_cancer__advice_from_cancer_research_uk.html Half of all cancers could be prevented by lifestyle changes. If you need to make changes, it's best to do it before you are 30. 2010-05-30T00:00+01:00 http://www.swhertslibdems.org.uk/news/000170/postcoalition_progress_as_liberal_democrats_continue_to_move_ahead.html Both locally and further afield, Liberal Democrats are getting increased support from the electorate. Two elections took place on Thursday, 27th May, the more significant being the delayed Thirsk & Malton parliamentary by-election. This was an expected Tory win, of course, but nevertheless there was a modest improvement in Lib Dem support, with the party jumping to 2nd place as Labour crashed. The figures showed a 1.8% swing from Tories to Lib Dems. Locally, Liberal Democrats did well in the Chorleywood Parish Council Elections held on the same day and are now in the majority with 9 councillors to the Tories' 7 and one independent. 2010-05-29T11:23+01:00 http://www.swhertslibdems.org.uk/news/000169/now_the_dust_is_settling__so_back_to_business_and_back_to_wd3.html Most of the issues and local campaigns outstanding before the election are still outstanding afterwards. Prominent among these is the WD3 school issue. This now comes up at every county council meeting and the Lib Dem Group continues to put pressure on the Conservative majority on HCC to get the problem sorted. 2010-05-26T14:40+01:00 http://www.swhertslibdems.org.uk/news/000168/10k_against_10k_petition_many_residents_post_angry_comments.html Following the launch of our petition many people have commented angrily on the lack of democracy. Here are a few of these comments: 2010-05-24T09:58+01:00 http://www.swhertslibdems.org.uk/news/000167/lib_dems_launch_10k_against_10k_petition.html Following the County Council meeting in Hertfordshire this week the Liberal Democrats have launched a petition against the 10,000 signatures required on a petition to force a debate. Liberal Democrats feel the 1,000 is a more achievable and democratic figure. 2010-05-20T11:18+01:00 http://www.swhertslibdems.org.uk/news/000166/arriva_doesnt_arrive_route_change_leaves_passengers_stranded.html Arriva are making themselves most unpopular in Tring. They have cut a loop out of an important route - without putting any notices at key bus stops and in total disregard of their customers. Now they've retimed morning buses to make it impossible for young people from Tring and Berkhamsted to get to school in Aylesbury. So last week an large number of protesters made their feelings known. 2010-05-20T09:08+01:00 http://www.swhertslibdems.org.uk/news/000165/10000_to_debate_your_petition__ridiculous.html New rules which would allow people signing petitions to be heard more clearly at county hall have been weighted to make it almost impossible for most communities to reach the threshold for signatures. 2010-05-18T19:09+01:00 http://www.swhertslibdems.org.uk/news/000164/what_coalition_means_for_hertfordshire.html Liberal Democrat Group Leader Chris White welcomed the new coalition government this morning and said: 'This is an opportunity to show that political parties can work together provided they have a transparently agreed programme based on principles rather than personalities. 2010-05-12T10:52+01:00