Message from Antony Hook: Europe Means Business

Antony Hook is a Liberal Democrat MEP Candidate for South East England at the European Elections in May 2014. 

He was the guest speaker at the Newbury & West Berkshire local party AGM in December when he gave an inspirational speech on the role of the European Union as the guarantor of peace in Europe since the middle of the last century. 

Antony Hook with local campaigners

He is a long-standing campaigner for a stronger economy and development of a free market across the continent. Here he makes a compelling economic argument for Europe:

"My ten years as a barrister, prosecuting and defending in the criminal courts, taught me valuable lessons that can apply in politics.  One lesson is that to make your case and win you need good evidence.  This is it true whether the audience is 12 jurors in court or 6 million voters in this European Election.

Amongst the best evidence you can use is the opinion of recognised experts.

I am pleased to tell you that the Liberal Democrat case on Europe is being endorsed by experts left, right and centre.

Our case is that being in the EU is vital for economy.  It means jobs, trade and prosperity.

This is what recognised experts in business say:

Richard Branson – find here
I spoke to Nick Clegg about the business case for EU membership last week – he is right to say EU withdrawal would leave Britain "isolated and irrelevant in our own backyard" and not "taken seriously".

Roger Carr, President of the CBI – find here
UK membership provides unfettered access to a single market of 500 million people, which today is our largest export customer.... Departure would undermine jobs, dilute international relationships and damage national wealth.

Federation of Small Businesses – find here
The internal market offers easy access for first-time exporters with a market of 500 million customers and 23 million businesses on their doorstep. The internal market creates some legal certainty and a level playing field throughout competition rules and many harmonised rules. This means that businesses can save considerable cost when selling to EU countries. 

The outcome of this European Election will have a direct effect on our economy for years to come.  Nick Clegg spoke about this in his New Year message.  Nick said, "The Liberal Democrats are Britain’s Party of In... because being in Europe means jobs, trade and prosperity."

We must not stand by and let Conservatives & UKIP damage our economy by flirting with withdrawal from the EU.  Labour lacks our courage to make the case. This leaflet sets out the connection between jobs and Europe.

Could you give up something to help your side win this election and to stop the Conservatives and UKIP claiming to be the proper spokespeople for your neighbourhood?

Please donate online here or send a cheque for SE Lib Dems European Fund to Penny Hopkins, 60 Potley Hill Road, Yateley, Hampshire GU46 6AG.

As I travel around the region taking our message to public (yesterday Kent, today Oxford, Guildford later in week) the support and good wishes of all our party members sustains and motivates me.   

Thank you"

 @antonyhook  @ineurope2014

LibDem Annual Conference Report: Leader's Speech

At the LibDem annual conference in Glasgow this week, party leader Nick Clegg MP set out his ambitious strategy for the lead-up to the next general election in 2015.

Nick Clegg speaking at Conference in Glasgow

He argued that LibDems are a positive force in British politics and are now a party of government.

LibDems have successfully achieved significant reforms, fulfilling many of the LibDem manifesto pledges.

Clegg said the party has acted in the national interest as a responsible moderating influence on current coalition partners, and would act in the same manner in the event of another hung parliament after 2015 - whether with Conservatives or Labour parties.

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In a letter to activists he wrote:

"Over the last few days, we’ve showcased what we’ve achieved in Coalition and we’ve demonstrated that we can make the tough decisions required in Government. But crucially, that we do so in a way that is fairer than the Conservatives would if they were governing by themselves.

And whether you were voting in the main hall or catching updates at home, there has been a fundamental shift in how our party is perceived.

We’re finally starting to get recognition for the decision we, as a party, took by going into Government. Especially at a time when the economy had suffered the biggest crash in 80 years and Labour had left us with no money to clean up the mess.

The last three years haven’t been easy, with the vitriol of our opponents and the difficult headlines.

But all those insults were worth it.

Because we’re starting to turn things around. We are seeing the first signs of economic recovery, a recovery that wouldn’t be happening without us.

There’s still a long way to go and over the next two years Liberal Democrats will focus unrelentingly on creating jobs and sustainable growth.

As I said in my speech this afternoon, we can’t trust either of the other parties to get it right by themselves. I have spent my entire life watching the other two mess it up. We cannot stand idly by and let them do it all over again.

Only the Liberal Democrats can finish the job of restoring the economy, and finish it fairly."


Read his full speech to conference here.

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The full list of 16 issues which LibDems have blocked:

Aldermaston Ward LibDems: Statement on the Future of Nuclear Defence

This week the coalition government published the long-awaited 'Trident Alternatives Review'.

CND march in 1958

It is a publication of huge significance to voters and campaigners alike. The issue of nucelar weapons has long caused divisions in Berkshire, while large numbers of local residents in this area live and work in the shadow of the major AWE installations nearby.

Liberal Democrats have now taken the first step to heal those long-standing and deep divisions.

The ground-breaking paper provides the most thorough review of nuclear systems and postures the UK has ever made public and examines a full range of alternatives available - a move only made possible through the insistence of LibDems in government.

The Trident Alternatives Review makes clear that Britain's national security will not be compromised by gradual reduction of the UK's Nuclear capacity as part of the reshaping of our Armed Forces to take account of the current security environment.

AWE's Orion laser

Britain no longer needs a 24 hours a day, 365 days a year continuous-at-sea patrolling service designed to meet a threat in the Soviet Union that no longer exists. Instead we should support our international allies and contribute meaningfully to the new multilateral drive to marry arms reduction to threat reduction. This will also save billions of pounds to concentrate on more pressing domestic demands.

Announcing the review, LibDem Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander MP, said,

"It is the right and sensible thing to do. And it could allow long-term savings to be made against current plans for like-for-like replacement.We can, at last, have an open and much more informed debate about what our nuclear weapons are for and how they should be deployed."

Liberal Democrats are leading this debate.

AWE Aldermaston Falcon Gate

• Read Danny Alexander's complete speech to the Royal United Services Institute.
• Read the LibDems Trident factsheet.
• Visit the Action AWE campaigning website.
• More on AWE Aldermaston.

What LibDems Are Achieving In Coalition Government

Many people ask why LibDems decided to form a Coalition Government with our local opponents - well, there was much more to it than simply guaranteeing economic security at a time of crisis and uncertainty.

So, to explain further, it's infographic time... enjoy!

Credit where credit's due.

Support the LibDems - Volunteer, Donate, Join!

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Unlike other parties we have never depended on big business or trade union cash.

Critics regularly predict our demise, but they write us off at their peril. Where we work, we win!

Offer your support today and help build a winning team in Aldermaston ward and West Berkshire! 

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What Do The LibDems Stand For?

You might have heard a similar one along the lines of:

Q: What does Nick Clegg stand for?
A: David Cameron when he enter the room!

But satirical jokes apart, this infographic should help you find a better answer:

Credit where credit's due.

What The Hell Have The LibDems Done?

You can ask us, but it's better you check this website: http://www.whatthehellhavethelibdemsdone.com/

Credit where credit's due.