Monthly Archive for April, 2010

‘Electoral Calculus’ predicts Lib Dems will beat Labour in Calder Valley

Published on April 28, 2010 in News. 0 Comments Tags: , .

The latest predictions from respected independent website Electoral Calculus show that the Liberal Democrats are now likely to beat Labour in Calder Valley, with a higher predicted share of the vote, and considerably greater chance of winning.

These predictions do not even take into account local conditions. The divisions in the Calder Valley Labour Party make it even less likely that Labour candidate Steph Booth will do well.

It is becoming increasingly clear that Calder Valley is turning into a straight contest between the Lib Dems and the Tories, and that we are in with a strong chance of actually winning the seat.

Tories’ ‘Big Society’ idea half baked says Hilary

Published on April 28, 2010 in News. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Letter from Hilary Myers to the Halifax Courier, 28 April 2010:

David Cameron’s big idea to help mend what the Tories cynically call ‘Broken Britain’ is to create a ‘Big Society’. At the heart of this poorly thought out concept is the notion that social enterprises, charities and voluntary groups should play a leading role in delivering public services. Apart from the fact that this message is obviously lost on Tory-run Calderdale Council, who singularly failed to safeguard the future of our key local social enterprise, Kerbside, when drawing up a new waste collection contract, this reliance on hardworking people who supposedly have extra time on their hands is a notorious way of trying to get government on the cheap.

Whilst we do need to examine ways of ‘reducing waste’ and ‘bureaucracy’, neither Labour nor the Tories care to share with the electorate their exact plans for identifying and eradicating these elusive inefficiencies. Most people would like more say in running their local schools, libraries, parks and amenities and in making planning decisions. More importantly, what they would really like, and have a right to expect, are democratically accountable bodies to help them do so. They simply want these things done better.

The Liberal Democrats are the only major party to propose stronger local government. They understand that many people already give of their time and energy to help make their communities and neighbourhoods better, safer places. The centralising tendency of the last Labour government, and the patronising talk of a privileged shadow Tory cabinet, many of whom do not have to make a living like the rest of us, leads to half baked and patronising proposals like a ‘Big Society’. If voters want real change which recognises and values the importance of local communities and the many individuals and organisations who help make our country, Yorkshire and Calderdale, the great place that it is, then they should vote for the Liberal Democrats next week.

Hilary in confident mood as polling day approaches

Published on April 26, 2010 in News. 0 Comments Tags: .

“Something different is happening” commented Hilary Myers this week. “There’s been a dramatic sea-change in the mood of the electorate with people suddenly more engaged with the forthcoming election and showing a much greater willingness to get out and vote”.

This week Hilary has been out canvassing voters in Elland, Greetland, Luddenden Foot, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge and Todmorden. She has also spoken to a group of local farmers in Ryburn, visited a manufacturing firm in Brighouse and met with the Asian community in homes across the constituency.

“Our Liberal Democrat promise of change and fairness appeals to a lot of people who are angry with the Government but are unconvinced that things would be any better under the Conservatives. Our message of radical reform of politics, a green road out of recession, reduced taxes for those on low incomes, and a fairer start for every child, is a message of hope and renewal.”

With polling day approaching, Hilary and her team are re-doubling their efforts to reach out to the electorate and engage with their concerns. “I shall be talking to students, I shall be talking to pensioners and I shall be talking to ordinary hard-working families,” she said, “and explaining our carefully costed policies and our plan to reduce inequality and increase opportunity across the communities of Britain. We have to tackle the deficit, of course, but we will make sure the very wealthy pay their fair share for a change” she insisted.

But although Hilary has taken three weeks off work to concentrate on her campaign, she must also do her duty as Chair of Governors at Todmorden High School where she will be spending two days interviewing prospective new head teachers.

“The Conservative candidate resigned from our Governing Body recently saying it was too much of a commitment for him. I was disappointed by his attitude” said Hilary.

Further video interview with Hilary published

Published on April 25, 2010 in News. 0 Comments Tags: .

Jason Elliott has been interviewing parliamentary candidates for Calder Valley. His interview with Lib Dem Hilary Myers is now available on YouTube, in four parts:

Something exciting is happening, says Hilary

Published on April 19, 2010 in News. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Letter from Hilary Myers, 19 April 2010:

Something exciting appears to be happening in British politics. Something I have been hoping for ever since Shirley Williams and Roy Jenkins left the Labour Party nearly thirty years ago. Namely, a chance to break the stranglehold of a two party system that has delivered the voters of Calder Valley with just more of the same, in many ways, for the last sixty-five years.

The only thing the opinion polls agree on at the moment is that this General Election will be a three way contest. But the only poll that really matters is the secret ballot on May 6th when people can cast their votes according to their own political conscience, rather than being constrained by worries about whether to vote tactically. For once the goal is wide open. People face a real choice.

I think that the patience of the electorate with politicians of the Lab-servative status quo is at breaking point. I just hope that the still undecided voters of this constituency, including those that have been loyal to the Liberal Democrats at the local level for many years, will have the courage to vote on May 6th for the real, fundamental change this country so badly needs.

“Public mood has changed” says Hilary

Published on April 18, 2010 in News. 0 Comments Tags: .

Hilary Myers campaigning in Hebden Bridge

The Liberal Democrats were out in force across Calderdale at the weekend, campaigning in town centres and on the doorstep, talking to local voters about the issues that concern them and about how they feel about the forthcoming General Election on May 6th.

“The anger is still there”, said Parliamentary Candidate, Hilary Myers. “People are still very upset about the expenses scandal and feel let down by the outgoing contingent of Westminster politicians. But over the last few days I sense that the public mood has changed. Voters are starting to engage with the idea that things could be different this time – that they do have a choice, even if they have not yet made up their minds.”

The Lib Dems set up stalls in Todmorden town centre on Saturday morning and in St.George’s Square, Hebden Bridge (photo), in the afternoon. The warm sunshine encouraged a lot of people out onto the streets and politics was a popular subject of conversation amongst both young and old. “People were interested to hear about our tax plans” said Hilary, “and I had questions about child care, the NHS and public transport amongst others.”

On Sunday, Hilary was out and about in Brighouse, taking the political temperature on the doorstep. “What struck me most was a new willingness to talk about the political situation and what needs to change” she commented. ”Lots of people mentioned the televised debates between the party leaders which, as a new thing, seem to have given a real boost to this election”.

Fairness and change at heart of Hilary Myers’ policies for Calder Valley

Published on April 15, 2010 in News. 0 Comments Tags: , .

A leading local Liberal Democrat who is hoping to become the next MP for Calder Valley has told voters that if elected, she will put fairness and change at the heart of her policies.

Speaking at the meeting that launched her campaign, Hilary Myers said, “For decades our country has been run by Labour and the Conservatives. Look at the mess they have made.

“Both the old parties were responsible for where the country is now, with banks holding the rest of the economy to ransom, two and a half million out of work and billions wasted on an illegal war in Iraq. We have a tax system that means those on low and middle incomes pay a higher share of their income in tax than the super-rich.

“We have a rotten system of government built up by Labour and Conservatives. It needs to be swept away. If elected as the new MP for Calder Valley my aim will be to bring in the change our area and our country so desperately needs.

“And I will fight for a fair deal for ordinary people who have paid the price for the boom and bust of the Labour and Conservative years.

“That’s why I am pleased that the Liberal Democrats under Nick Clegg and Vince Cable have put fairness and change at the heart of the party’s manifesto.

“As MP for our area, I will fight hard to ensure the tax system is reformed so that people on low and middle incomes get a fair deal. We will make sure no one pays tax on their first £10,000 of income. And we will pay for it by closing the tax loopholes used by the super rich, who did so well out of the booms and busts of the Labour and Conservative years.

“And I will also be battling to sweep away the old way of government that Labour and Conservatives have enjoyed for decades. We will bring in fair votes, replace the House of Lords with a new body elected by the people and we will ensure people have far more say over what happens in their own communities.

“Labour have lost support in Calder Valley – they don’t have a single Council seat. It doesn’t have to be the Tories’ turn. People need an MP they can trust.”

Dealing with the voting dilemma in Calder Valley

Published on April 14, 2010 in News. 2 Comments Tags: , , , .

Most conversations I have had with Calder Valley voters over the last few weeks have run something like this: “I don’t want Calder Valley to be taken back by the Tories. But I cannot bring myself to vote for the Labour candidate after everything that’s happened. I’d like to vote for you, Hilary, because I know that the Lib Dems have good, green, progressive policies, but can you win? Can you keep the Tories out in Calder Valley?”

If you think about it, this local dilemma is a mirror of the dilemma faced across the country under an electoral system that favours the Labservatives and which seems to have a stranglehold on any real chance of radical reform of politics in the UK. And this dilemma has been getting more acute for three decades now.

But what I say to all those caught on the horns of this dilemma locally is this. Finally, with the 2010 General Election, we have a real opportunity to break this electoral stranglehold for good. And the way it will happen is by people voting for the candidates they want and not against the candidates they don’t want. Polls indicate that there is considerable latent support for the Lib Dems. While at past elections only about 20% of those polled nationwide have said they would definitely vote Lib Dem, when asked how they would vote if they thought the Lib Dems could win, the response is a staggering 48%.

This time it looks increasingly likely that we will have a hung parliament. In that scenario we Lib Dems will hold the balance of power. Never mind the number of seats, it will be the “vote share” in absolute percentage terms across the country that will provide the clear mandate on which we can negotiate (with whoever) for bold and lasting electoral reform.

It will take voting courage. But that has to be the way forward.

Calder Valley is currently a three-cornered fight, with other smaller parties hoping to take votes away from the so-called “main parties”. I understand their frustration too, I really do. But the priority must be to overturn the Labservative stitch-up which has held the country to ransom for too long. The Lib Dems are in the best position currently to mount that populist challenge to the status quo. Can you imagine the future under PR? No more safe seats (where by far the worst of the MP’s scandals occurred), no more tactical voting, real voter empowerment, a world of more factions and temporary alliances yes, but a world of greater political engagement, greater freedom, greater honesty.

We have been under the tyranny of Labservative for too long. Vote for me, vote Lib Dem – if only just this once – and help us all break free of a system that does not give us – the people – a truly democratic and representative voice.

Hilary Myers, 11 April 2010

Formal adoption of Hilary Myers for Calder Valley

Published on April 13, 2010 in News. 0 Comments Tags: .

Hilary Myers was adopted as the Liberal Democrat candidates for Calder Valley at a meeting at North Bridge Leisure Centre on Monday night. Lord David Shutt presided at the meeting.

Hilary Myers with Lord David Shutt

Hilary Myers gave three main reasons why the country needs the Liberal Democrats to do well in this election.

First, she explained that only the Liberal Democrats are fully committed to restoring our democratic deficit, which could restore faith in British politics.

For her second point Hilary said “We are the only major party that really gets the gravity of the threat of climate change and has the policies to reduce the UK’s carbon footprint and set us on a more sustainable course”.

And thirdly, Hilary referred to the economic mess and Vince Cable’s fully costed and principled measures to tackle it.

Hilary Myers stressed the Liberal Democrat fairness agenda for this election.

“Fairer taxes will mean those earning less than £10,000 will be £700 a year better off, paid for the mansion tax and closing tax loopholes.

“A fairer, greener economy means jobs that last, renewable technologies, home insulation, and better public transport.

“A fairer start for children would cut class sizes, and give individual tuition, £12m for Calderdale schools.

“And a fairer, cleaner politics would introduce proportional representation, reform of the House of Lords, mechanisms to sack MP’s, and a Freedom Bill.”

Trident should not be replaced says Hilary Myers

Published on April 11, 2010 in News. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Letter from Hilary Myers to the Hebden Bridge Times, 11 April 2010:

Your correspondent Barbara Green asks the Calder  Valley candidates for Parliament to give voters their views on the proposal to spend billions replacing the Trident nuclear missile system (letters, March 25th).

The Liberal Democrats maintain that the government’s decision to replace Trident on an equivalent basis, with the same number of submarines and ballistic missiles, is no longer tenable and that Labour and Conservative plans to avoid all consideration of nuclear weapons in the forthcoming Strategic Defence Review are both illogical and irresponsible. Omitting the single largest procurement project from the Review makes a complete mockery of the whole exercise, not least because the defence budget faces up to a £36 billion shortfall over the next 10 years.

Our policy is that there should be no like-for-like replacement of Trident and that Britain should adopt a cheaper, more minimal system, were it to prove necessary to maintain a nuclear deterrent as a result of the Strategic Defence Review. We unequivocally support the goal of a world without nuclear weapons. Like everyone, we very much welcomed the signing last week of a bold ‘Start’ Treaty by Obama and Medvedev designed to limit the number of nuclear weapons owned by the two superpowers. Liberal Democrats adopt the approach spelt out by the US President who said that this recent scaling down of nuclear weapons is “just one step on a longer journey” which would set the stage for further cuts. We will continue to support all such initiatives towards multilateral disarmament.

The Green Party’s Kate Sweeney suggested the Lib Dems ‘don’t what to scrap Trident’ (letters, April 1st).  What we are arguing for is a sophisticated and honest review of the defence requirements of this country – one which takes into account the realities of global politics, economics and tensions at the beginning of the 21st Century, and does so with the ultimate aim of working towards a world free of the scourge of nuclear weapons. Like Barbara Green, I look forward to reading in your letters pages the arguments the local Tory and Labour candidates make for their party’s presumptive justifications for the wholesale replacement of the outdated, unaffordable Trident system.