Nancy Matthews

At the launch of the new Draft Bill on energy, Liberal Democrat Secretary of State of Energy and Climate Change Ed Davey, writes:

Over the next decade, around a fifth of existing power plants are due to close, against a background of increased energy demand and increasing prices. We need new investment simply to keep the lights on.

But more than that, we need a clean energy revolution to meet our ambitious climate change goals and make this the greenest government ever.

That’s why I am bringing forward a new Energy Bill today.

You can read more about our clean energy revolution here.

We also need to transform our energy market to reduce the risk and cost of low carbon technologies.

That’s what our Bill does.

The UK is fast becoming a world leader in renewable energy, especially in off shore wind. I want us to lead the world in Carbon Capture and Storage too.

And we are also tackling rising energy bills. Without reforming the energy market bills will rise by around £200 in the coming years. Our reforms will mean bills are around 4% lower than they otherwise would have been.

Going green is good for the economy, good for Britain and good for you.

Yours,

Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change

(Image licensed under Creative Commons from DECC)

(Click picture to play video)

It is shameful that, despite all the promise on a four or five year old’s first day at school, or the passion of their teachers, you can all too often plot that child’s path just by asking how much their parents earn.

The £2.5billion Pupil Premium was one of the four pledges on the front page of our manifesto.  And now, with Liberal Democrats in government, schools are using the money for things like breakfast clubs; homework clubs; or to provide one-to-one-tuition. These are the sort of experiences many middle class children take for granted but a poorer child might rarely enjoy.

Yesterday I visited a fantastic primary school to see how they are spending their Pupil Premium, highlight our new Summer Schools to ease the transition from primary to secondary, and to set out our plans to reward teachers and hold schools to account.

The Pupil Premium shows that, in tough times, we are implementing Liberal Democrat values and prioritising help for those pupils who need it most.

Best wishes,

Nick Clegg MP

Leader of the Liberal Democrats and Deputy Prime Minister

PS Click here to find out how much money your local school will receive from the Liberal Democrats’ Pupil Premium.

This week, Paul Burstow (Liberal Democrat minister at the Department of Health) has launched a national £4 million lung cancer awareness campaign. The campaign, the first of its kind, will use TV, radio and press adverts, and advertising on pharmacist bags and inside GP surgeries, to raise awareness of the disease.

One of its aims is to persuade anyone who has had a cough for more than three weeks to see their doctor.

You can find more information about coughing and lung cancer at the Department of Health website, here: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/05/coughing-could-be-a-sign-of-lung-cancer-2/

With 33,000 new cases diagnosed each year, lung cancer is a blight on the lives of far too many of our families and an early diagnosis can make all the difference. Please take the opportunity of the Be Clear on Cancer campaign to find out more about prevention and diagnosis, and to visit your local doctor if you’ve had a persistent cough – it is always better to be safe than sorry!

http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/tag/be-clear-on-cancer/

Nancy Matthews has criticised the Labour party and the Labour Government for taking the ‘local’ out of local government in the run up to the local government elections on May 3^rd.

Campaigning for the council elections is well under way with Flintshire Liberal Democrats reminding people of their record in local government and telling voters how they will work with their local communities if elected.

Labour, on the other hand, is attempting to hoodwink the voters, telling people to vote on the record of the Westminster government and not on local issues.

Nancy said: “The Labour party is doing all it can to avoid talking about the issues that these elections are about – local issues that affect local communities.

“The clear message coming out of Labour’s ‘local’ election campaign is that they don’t care about our communities – they are just slinging mud at the Westminster government which is, incidentally, cleaning up the mess that they left behind.

“In previous local elections, Labour was booted out of County Hall because they didn’t stand up for the local area. Their ploy of blaming everything on Westminster simply won’t wash with the people of Flintshire in these local elections either.

“In clear contrast, the Welsh Liberal Democrat manifesto set out our vision for local councils and we are extremely proud of our record in local councils both here in Flintshire and all across Wales.

“As the Welsh Liberal Democrat manifesto demonstrated, we are not afraid to use concrete examples of our achievements. We have brought real prosperity and jobs to our capital city, constructing a strong defence line against the challenging economic backdrop.

“The Welsh Liberal Democrats are delivering for local people. We are fighting these elections with our heads held high as we know we have much to be proud of.”

Official reports have confirmed that no Liberal Democrat-run council in England has increased council tax for their residents. This is unlike both other major parties, many of which are increasing council tax by up to 3.5% this year.

Commenting on Labour and Conservative councils’ record on Council Tax, Liberal Democrat Party President, Tim Farron said:

“While Labour and the Tories fight over how many of their councils raised Council Tax, it’s clear that with the Liberal Democrats your money is safest: no Liberal Democrat-run council in England has raised Council Tax.

“Ordinary working families are struggling already with paying bills, without their councils increasing the burden.

“The choice in next month’s elections is clear: vote Liberal Democrat for financially responsible councils that create jobs. Vote Labour and the Tories for waste, mismanagement and tax rises.”

As well as freezing council tax across the country, Liberal Democrat councils are protecting front-line services, fighting to keep libraries and Sure Start centres open. This is in addition to the achievements of the Liberal Democrats in government, which after the Budget include a £130 income tax cut for all working families, the largest-ever rise in the basic state pension, an increase in child tax credits for the poorest families, and an increase in the Lib Dem Pupil Premium to £600 for every pupil receiving Free School Meals.

At every level of government, the Liberal Democrats are cutting taxes for low- and middle-earners and better targeting help to those that need it the most. It is a record of financial responsibility of which we can be proud.

Diolch i chi am eich cefnogaeth ers Mai 2008 pan wnaethoch fy ethol i’ch cynrychioli ar Gyngor Sir y Fflint.  Mae fy ngwaith yn ystod y pedair blynedd diwethaf wedi bod yn dra gwahanol i’r pedair blynedd cyntaf o 2004.

Yn ogystal ? helpu pobl Gwernymynydd a Nercwys , rwyf wedi bod yn helpu Sir y Fflint i fod yn rhan o’r rhwydwaith o awdurdodau lleol sy’n ffurfio tywysogaeth Cymru.

Cefais fy ngwahodd i fod yn aelod cabinet/gweithredol gyda chyfrifoldeb dros reolaeth strategol gwastraff yn ogystal ag edrych ar ?l Gwernymynydd a Nercwys.

Mewn dim, roeddwn yng Nghaerdydd mewn trafodaethau i amlygu Sir y Fflint yng ngolwg y Llywodraeth.  Canlyniad hyn oedd dod ? mwy o brofiad a gwybodaeth i faterion o fewn y ward etholiadol hon.

Hoffwn gael y cyfle i barhau i’ch cynrychioli ar Gyngor Sir y Fflint gan wneud defnydd llawn o’r profiad rwyf wedi ei gael er eich budd chi.
Fy mwriad fydd
A) parhau i gefnogi llywodraeth agored a democrataidd
B) codi proffil ardaloedd gwledig
C) sicrhau mynegiant teg i gymunedau bach

Nancy Matthews

A first look at part of this week’s Liberal Democrat Local Election Broadcast. This clip looks at our key pledge to cut taxes for working families, and celebrates the fact that Liberal Democrats in government have achieved:

• The biggest-ever single uplift in the tax-free personal allowance
• A £3.5 billion tax cut for working men and women
• 840,000 of the lowest earners in the country lifted completely out of paying Income Tax

Next year, the allowance increases again (to £9,205) – within touching distance of our manifesto promise to increase the Income Tax threshold to £10,000.

These are all significant achievements that are already making a difference for millions of hard-working men and women across Britain. Real change for real families in tough times – promised and delivered by the Liberal Democrats.

Labour in the Assembly have announced funding cuts to bus companies across Wales which could threaten local bus services or force fares to increase.

At the same time, the Welsh Labour government splashes out over £1 million a year on an air link between Cardiff and Anglesey, which works out at £160 per passenger.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have consistently opposed the funding of this air link, which is bad for the environment and has cost the tax payer more than £9 million since it started.

Local campaigner Nancy Matthews said, “We know that money is tight at the moment, which makes it all the more unbelievable that the Labour government would continue to fund this unpopular air service while threatening local bus routes up and down Wales.”

“I am concerned that Labour’s cuts could affect Flintshire.

“The government needs to spend its money more wisely. Rather than wasting £1 million each year on an air service for a handful of people, they should use this money to support local bus services which benefit everybody.”

Thank you for your support since May 2008 when you elected me to represent you on Flintshire County Council.

My work during the last four years has been rather different than the first four years from 2004.

As well as helping people in Gwernymynydd and Nercwys , I have been involved with helping Flintshire fit into the jigsaw of local authorities which make up the principality of Wales .

I was invited to be a cabinet/ executive member with responsibility for the strategic management of waste as well as looking after Gwernymynydd and Nercwys.

Suddenly I was in Cardiff negotiating to get Flintshire into the Government’s eye. The consequence of this was to bring more experience and knowledge into matters within this ward

I would like to have the opportunity to continue to represent you on Flintshire County Council making full use of the experience I have gained to your benefit.

I would be aiming to -

A) to continue to support open and democratic government
B) to raise the profile of rural areas
C) to get a fair voice for small communities

Annwyl Etholwr

Diolch i chi am eich cefnogaeth ers Mai 2008 pan wnaethoch fy ethol i’ch cynrychioli ar Gyngor Sir y Fflint.  Mae fy ngwaith yn ystod y pedair blynedd diwethaf wedi bod yn dra gwahanol i’r pedair blynedd cyntaf o 2004.

Yn ogystal ? helpu pobl Gwernymynydd a Nercwys , rwyf wedi bod yn helpu Sir y Fflint i fod yn rhan o’r rhwydwaith o awdurdodau lleol sy’n ffurfio tywysogaeth Cymru.

Cefais fy ngwahodd i fod yn aelod cabinet/gweithredol gyda chyfrifoldeb dros reolaeth strategol gwastraff yn ogystal ag edrych ar ?l Gwernymynydd a Nercwys.

Mewn dim, roeddwn yng Nghaerdydd mewn trafodaethau i amlygu Sir y Fflint yng ngolwg y Llywodraeth.  Canlyniad hyn oedd dod ? mwy o brofiad a gwybodaeth i faterion o fewn y ward etholiadol hon.

Hoffwn gael y cyfle i barhau i’ch cynrychioli ar Gyngor Sir y Fflint gan wneud defnydd llawn o’r profiad rwyf wedi ei gael er eich budd chi.

Fy mwriad fydd
A) parhau i gefnogi llywodraeth agored a democrataidd
B) codi proffil ardaloedd gwledig
C) sicrhau mynegiant teg i gymunedau bach

We can be proud that the biggest tax cuts in today’s Budget go to millions of working families.

As a result of this Budget, someone working a full week on minimum wage will see their income tax bill cut by over 50% compared to under Labour.

Increasing the personal allowance to £9,205 takes us within touching distance of our number one manifesto pledge – ensuring no one pays any tax on the first £10,000 they earn.

Thanks to our changes, a basic rate taxpayer will be paying £45 a month less in tax than they would have been under Labour.

We can be proud that we’ve ensured the richest in our society will be paying more, much more.

The Tycoon Tax, an increase in stamp duty for high value properties and other new taxes on wealth will raise five times as much as the 50p tax rate. Those with annual incomes of more than £150,000 a year will be paying on average an additional £1,300 a year in tax, as a result of this Budget.

Of course, this is a Coalition Budget and we did not get our own way on everything. Conservative priorities are not ours. But as on so many other issues, we have made sure that there is a real Liberal Democrat stamp on this Budget.

Lower taxes for more than 20 million working people; effective new taxes on the rich.

This is a Budget we can be proud of – a Budget for the many, not the few.

Best wishes,