Wantage and Didcot Liberal Democrats

Campaigning with Alan Armitage for Wantage, Didcot and Wallingford

Alan Armitage

Welcome to our web site!

The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity.


Financial Times says Lib Dems are "leading the debate on the country's fiscal dilemma"

Thu 25th Jun 2009

In an editorial today, The Financial Times - not noted for paying much attention to the Liberal Democrats in normal circumstances - observes that the Party is now "prominent in the debate on the financial crisis" and that "they are also leading the debate on the country's fiscal dilemma".

Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats (photography: Gordon Seekings)

Lib Dems make gain in elections for European Parliament

Fri 12th Jun 2009

In the elections for the European Parliament held on 4 June, the Liberal Democrats' share of the vote was about the same as five years ago, but the party gained a seat, as the result of a fall in the UKIP vote in the East Midlands. In South East Region, the party held its two seats, with Oxfordshire resident Catherine Bearder taking the place of Emma Nicholson, who stood down. The detailed results for the South East can be seen at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/elections/euro/09/html/ukregion_35.stm.

South East Region MEP's Sharon Bowles (left) and Catherine Bearder with Lib Dem Party leader Nick Clegg and local spokesman Alan Armitage (photography: Alan Edmund Armitage)

Lib Dems achieve 28% of the vote in local elections, well ahead of Labour

Sun 7th Jun 2009

In local elections for county councils and some unitary authorities on Thursday, the Liberal Democrats achieved a projected 28% share of the vote nationally, according to the BBC, well ahead of Labour on 23% - which was a fall of about 1% from their record low point of last year. The Conservatives achieved about 38%, say the BBC - comparable with their result in 2004, a year before they failed to win the last General Election.

Liberal Democrat councillors on Oxfordshire County Council

The Greens' science policies are staggeringly extreme, warn eminent science journalists

Wed 3rd Jun 2009

The Times' Science Editor Mark Henderson pointed out yesterday in his newspaper that the likelihood of smaller parties doing well in the European Parliament elections tomorrow may lead to a stronger Green representation in the European Parliament, which "could be pretty disastrous for science".

Embryo research and other important scientific work would be banned by the Greens

'Vote Lib Dem' says The Observer

Mon 1st Jun 2009

"Support the Lib Dems next Thursday", says The Observer. As well as its Editorial, an article by Andrew Rawnsley praises Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats in the run-up to the elections for the European Parliament and the County Council as the one party that has consistently advocated Constitutional Reform and the one that has come out of the expenses scandal much less sleazed than either Labour or the Tories.

Liberal Democrats "Flying Bird of Liberty (Libby)" logo

Lib Dem Leader Nick Clegg launches radical programme to reform Britain's political system

Fri 29th May 2009

"Warm words and rhetoric are easy", said Nick Clegg. "Indeed, they are a guarantee that little will happen. So let us bar the gates of Westminster and stop MPs leaving for their summer holidays until this crisis has been sorted out, and every nook and cranny of our political system has been reformed."

Lib Dem Party Leader Nick Clegg MP on Thursday with Wantage & Didcot spokesman Alan Armitage (right) (photography: Alan Edmund Armitage)

Conservatives' plan to repeal Human Rights Act could force Britain out of the European Union

Fri 29th May 2009

The Law Society Gazette reports that the UK could find itself parting company with the European Union if Tory pledges to scrap the Human Rights Act (HRA) are carried through, the head of the Council of Europe has warned Conservative party activists.

The European Court of Human Rights building in Strasbourg

UKIP is wrong about the British contribution to Europe's budget

Wed 27th May 2009

The UK Independence Party has claimed repeatedly that European Union membership costs the UK £40 million per day, or around £15 billion a year. This is overblown nonsense. The UK does make a net contribution to the EU, which varies year on year, but this year amounts to around £4 billion. On average, each person in the UK contributes £67 a year, or £1.29 per week, or 18p a day to the EU budget.

European Elections

Lib Dems launch manifesto for county council elections

Mon 25th May 2009

Launching their manifesto for the Oxfordshire County Council elections on 4th June, the Liberal Democrats have promised to focus on improving education standards, the roads and having stronger social services if they are elected to run Oxfordshire County Council. Zoé Patrick, leader of the Liberal Democrat group and councillor for Grove and Wantage, said she believes the party could improve services without Council Tax increases as she unveiled the manifesto, Ambitious for Oxfordshire.

Lib Dem leader Zoe Patrick (right) with deputy Jean Fooks.

Air pollution is the silent killer of 24,000 British people each year

Mon 25th May 2009

At least 24,000 people in Britain are dying prematurely due to air pollution every year, research by the Liberal Democrats based on official EU reports has revealed. Analysis of an EU case study, released by the Liberal Democrats, shows that at least 4,400 Londoners are dying prematurely each year from air pollution - four times greater than previously admitted by the Mayor of London.

Simon Hughes (photography: Simon Rix - www.simonrix.com)

Britain needs to be at the heart of Europe

Sat 16th May 2009

Times are tough in Britain. The recession is hitting people and families hard: tens of thousands are losing their jobs, businesses are failing, and every week hundreds are losing their homes. Lib Dem Leader Nick Clegg said: "We can only protect British families from crime, the recession and climate change if our country works with other European Union countries."

The Lib Dem list in the South-East is headed by Catherine Bearder (left) and Sharon Bowles

Liberal Democrats challenge all parliamentary candidates to say where they stand on a Freedom Bill

Sun 10th May 2009

The Liberal Democrats are determined to resist the slow death by a thousand cuts of our hard-won British liberties. George Orwell's 1984 was a warning, not a blueprint. Yet the Big Brother society that he satirised is growing before our eyes. Our forebears who fought so hard for the rights we have had stripped away would be shocked at what we've lost.

Britain has more security cameras than any other country in the world

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Wantage General Election Result

Turnout: 51931 (68%)

43%
 
Conservative: 22354 (+3.4%)
27.6%
 
Liberal Democrat: 14337 (−0.4%)
24%
 
Labour: 12464 (−4.2%)

View the results in detail.

Sharon Bowles MEP News Stories

Sharon Bowles celebrates re-election and welcomes Catherine Bearder MEP
Tue 9th Jun 2009

Revised Capital Requirements Directive - A step towards recovery
Wed 6th May 2009

Bowles stresses importance of adequate funding for financial supervisors
Wed 6th May 2009

Extension of music copyright not fit for the future - Bowles
Fri 24th Apr 2009

Bowles slashes withholding tax incentive
Fri 24th Apr 2009

More Sharon Bowles MEP News Stories...

(c) 2009 Sharon Bowles MEP
South Central Region Liberal Democrats News Stories

Catherine Bearder: How EU can tackle Climate Change
Tue 24th Mar 2009

Joanna Lumley leads Gurkhas back to Court to force Government action
Mon 16th Mar 2009

Lib Dems launch South East European campaign website
Wed 11th Mar 2009

Think big, choose a better future
Sun 8th Mar 2009

Federal Lib Dem Conference Venues 2009-2011
Tue 3rd Mar 2009

More South Central Region Liberal Democrats News Stories...

(c) 2009 South Central Region Liberal Democrats
Quotes of the Week

"On issue after issue, the Liberal Democrats have led the fight for real change while the Conservatives lagged behind. On the economy, on the environment and now on the real reform of politics, it is the Lib Dems that are offering something different."

April Pond, Liberal Democrat candidate for the Norwich North by-election

www.norwichlibdems.org.uk - 21 June

"I believe that my position as an MP between now and the next election is untenable."

Labour MP Ian Gibson

Resigning as MP for Norwich North - 6 June. See www.norwichlibdems.org.uk for Norwich North by-election news.