Wycombe Liberal Democrats

On the Wycombe Liberal Democrat website, we have always taken a ‘liberal’ approach to allowing comments on our articles (even if we don’t always agree with them). Over the last year, we have had a spate of Tory trolls using the comment facility to point out minor grammatical and spelling errors. Sadly, the same right of comment does not apply on the Wycombe Tory website. A pity, as I would have been tempted to point out that someone can’t add up! Their news article reporting that Councillor Ditta had joined the Liberal Democrats claims that we are still the smallest group on Wycombe District Council. If the author cares to count, he or she will find that while we have six District Councillors, Labour have only three. Six was more than three when I was at school!

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our President, Marie Burnand.

Marie Burnand was a founder member of the Social Democrat Party, and happily embraced Liberal Democracy when the two parties joined. The success of Liberals and SDP together as the Liberal Democrats was due to people like Marie who were determined to ensure cohesion.

She has served as Secretary and Chairman, and latterly her sterling service over the years was recognised when she was acclaimed President of the Wycombe Liberal Democrats. She stood as a candidate for local council several times, and came close to being elected. She chaired the governing body of a school for children with special needs for several years, doing her utmost to ensure those needs were met.

Marie was quietly supported in her political work by her husband, Gordon, who ensured she could attend meetings as her health deteriorated. Marie, and her smile, will be greatly missed, not only by her family and local Liberal Democrats, but also by the numerous families she helped in her professional capacity.

The last remaining Labour Councillor on Bucks County Council has today resigned from the Labour Party and joined the Liberal Democrats.

Councillor Chaudhary Ditta sits on both Buckinghamshire County Council and Wycombe District Council.

Wycombe Liberal Democrats Parliamentary Spokesman, Steve Guy said:

I am delighted to welcome Councillor Ditta to the Liberal Democrat team in Wycombe. He is a highly respected councillor and has considerable standing in the community. I know that we are all looking forward to working with him and gaining from his experience. The residents of Bowerdean, Micklefield and Totteridge will continue to be represented by a great team in Councillors Wassell and Ditta

Councillor Ditta said:

I have today joined Councillor Julia Wassell as member of the Liberal Democrat Group on
Bucks County Council and Wycombe District Council. This is a positive choice I have made in the interests of the community as I believe that Councillor Wassell and I have worked very well together for several years. We can achieve more for residents if we continue working together.

2005 Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Wycombe Constituency, Councillor Julia Wassell, has joined the Liberal Democrats.

Councillor Wassell sits on both Buckinghamshire County Council and Wycombe District Council. In 2005, she was the Labour Party Parliamentary Candidate for Wycombe.

Wycombe Liberal Democrats Parliamentary Spokesman, Steve Guy said:

I am delighted to welcome Councillor Wassell to the Liberal Democrat team in Wycombe. She has an outstanding record of campaigning hard on local issues and getting results. I believe she will be a great asset.  
We are all looking forward to working with her for the benefit of the people of Wycombe.

Councillor Wassell said:

I am looking forward to working with people who are putting their principles into practice. Working in a very local way to empower people and communities. The Liberal Democrats have welcomed me warmly and will be able to support my commitment to campaigning and casework in Wycombe. I have had the greatest respect for many members of the Lib Dems for a number of years whom I know personally. I am particularly pleased also to join the Lib Dem group on the County  
Council where I will be well supported in contrast to the previous situation

Amidst all the excitement of the Crewe and Nantwich by election, I’d like to draw people’s attention to something they may have missed this week. Ministers are to consider a national database which will record details of:

• Every phone call you make
• Every email you send
• Every website you visit

The plans are currently at an early stage, but may be included in a draft communications bill later this year. The reason given will be the ubiquitous ‘fight against terrorism’, which is now the justification for more and more erosion of our civil liberties. I am fully committed to the fight against terrorists: I value the freedoms that come with living in a democracy and terrorism is a threat to those freedoms. But moving closer and closer to the surveillance society is in itself an erosion of the very freedom we cherish. These plans would be a step too far. Telecommunications companies already cooperate fully with law enforcement agencies when it is necessary to investigate suspects. A statement from the Information Commission released this week says:

We are not aware of any justification for the state to hold every UK citizen’s phone and internet records. We have real doubts that such a measure can be justified, or is proportionate or desirable.

Defeating crime and terrorism is of the utmost importance, but we are not aware of any pressing need to justify the government itself holding this sort of data.

Quite apart from the appalling idea of a government invading individual privacy in this way, this administration has already shown it cannot be trusted with the security of sensitive data (as
recipients of Child Benefit will already attest to).

This government so often reminds me of the following wise adage (often erroneously attributed to Benjamin Franklin):

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety

Steve Guy, Wycombe Liberal Democrats Parliamentary Spokesman