Freedom Central » Mike German

Yesterday’s Welsh Liberal Democrat Debate on Ieuan Air

Freedom Central — Thu, 27 May 2010 10:50:30 +0000

High Court ruling on Heathrow proves Labour has head in the clouds over transport policy

Mike German — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 10:35:58 +0000

The news that campaigners have won a High Court battle over plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport is very welcome. Last year Liberal Democrat analysis of the economic benefits of a third runway at Heathrow highlighted the huge error made by the Government in using outdated figures, which underestimated by several billions of pounds the financial impact of the extra greenhouse gases and offsetting the pollution caused by a third runway at Heathrow.

This hugely incompetent mistake and the High Court ruling against the Government’s attempt to push ahead with a third runway at Heathrow is symbolic of a tired Labour Party that has run out of ideas and run out of steam.

Labour have had their head in the clouds over a misguided transport policy and have wasted precious time that could have been better spent pursuing more sustainable transport plans that will benefit the economy and our environment. The Conservative policy is also in disarray as while they oppose expansion at Heathrow they support the expansion of other airports in the South East instead.

Liberal Democrats in Wales and Westminster have been united in opposing a new runway at Heathrow. Heathrow is big enough and there must be no third runway and no expansion of other airports in the South East either. Instead we have identified the money to invest in improvements to public transport, to invest in a high speed rail network and get people off the road and onto the rail.

In Wales we have identified practical measures such as supporting the proposed Gwent Parkway station, at the site of the current Severn Tunnel Junction, to reduce the number of people trying to park in Newport before travelling on elsewhere. We believe that transport should become part of an enlarged Department for the Environment, to recognise that transport is the fastest growing source of domestic carbon emissions and so policies on the environment and transport must be more integrated.

Labour-Plaid energy ambition little reflection on reality

Freedom Central — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:13:48 +0000

The Welsh Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on the Environment and Sustainability, Mike German has branded the Welsh Assembly Government’s ‘Energy Policy Statement’ as a brazen and ambitious attempt but said that based on its current record the policy will do little to change our energy landscape.

“After two years of consultations, discussions and hard work from all stakeholders, the Welsh Government Energy Policy Statement is a disappointment” says Mr German. “It is a brazen and ambitious attempt by the Government but is low on firm plans and specific actions and is full of warm words and rhetoric that we have heard before.

“The Welsh Government has set itself an ambitious target for Wales to produce twice as much renewable energy as we consume by 2025. This is achievable, but on their current record I have no confidence that it will be achieved. The Welsh Government has failed to reach its 2010 target to produce 10% of our electricity from renewable sources, reaching only 4.4% in 2007 compared to 2.8% in 2000, so I have little faith they will reach even more ambitious targets for the future.

“The Welsh Government remains on the fence on nuclear power, passing the buck on decision making to the UK Government and the new Infrastructure Planning Commission. The energy statement leaves us in no doubt that the IPC will govern energy development in Wales, but provides no clarity on whether the Welsh Government will promote or protest in nuclear negotiations.

“We need clarity over the Welsh Government’s nuclear policy and whether we should believe the Labour Environment Minister who is against nuclear power or the Plaid Cymru Deputy First Minister who supports new nuclear in Anglesey. We need to know how Welsh planning policy with integrate with the new IPC and be assured that Wales still has a firm hand to influence our energy landscape in the future.

“The Welsh Liberal Democrats are opposed to nuclear power and believe the massive investment requirement would be better spent on increased energy efficiency, cleaner use of fossil fuels and the rapid expansion of renewables, which can deliver low carbon energy quickly, safely, cheaply and reliably.

“As a party the Welsh Liberal Democrats have engaged at all levels and with stakeholders to develop a plan for the Severn Estuary which we believe balances the need to harness this resource with maximum reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and minimum damage to the environment and habitats. We support the swift development of a ‘Shoots Barrage’, which could carry a high speed rail link, the development of a pilot lagoon and more significant research into alternatives such as the Tidal Reef which could be built further out to shore. Together these measures could produce as much electricity as a Severn Barrage, but on an incremental basis and could start producing electricity much sooner.

“The Welsh Liberal Democrats share the ambition to be zero carbon by 2050 but despite all the promises and plans under this Labour-Plaid Government we have yet to see the growth of green industries in Wales. With the right incentives economic development and renewable energy can go hand in hand to provide thousands of jobs and help us to become a world leader in clean energy and green technologies. We must make use of our abundance of clean energy sources and develop the green jobs, skills and manufacturing bases to meet the demand and opportunities of a low carbon future.”

Assembly debates new Gwent Parkway station and M48 link

Freedom Central — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:06:55 +0000

The Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales East, Michael German used a short debate in the Assembly yesterday to make the case for a new road link between the M48 and a Gwent ‘Parkway’ station at Severn Tunnel Junction near Caldicot.

He said that with the cancellation of the M4 relief road there is an urgent need to come up with alternative methods of relieving congestion with new funds are available from the aborted M4 relief road scheme.

“This plan would revitalise the economy of south east Wales by providing high speed rail and motorway access to existing industrial development land, and open up the potential for extended leisure use,” said Mr German.

“The M48 is located less than a kilometre away from the station and the Welsh Assembly Government owns much of the surrounding land which could be developed into car parking at the side of the station.”

Mr German urged Wellsh government to negotiate with First Great Western for some of the high speed Swansea to Paddington trains to call at the parkway station. A substantial portion of south east Wales would have access to the commuting route offered by the south Wales mainline rail network.

A further bonus to local residents would be the reduction of traffic along the B4245 between Caldicot and Magor providing an easier access to the motorway from Caldicot to Undy, he said.

“This is a win-win project for businesses and commuters alike. I urge the Welsh government to grasp the nettle and make this vision a reality.”

Mike German wins victory on Severn Bridge

Freedom Central — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:07:50 +0000

The announcement by the Minister for Economy and Transport on Wednesday that motorists are “likely” to be allowed to use credit and debit cards to pay tolls on the Severn Bridges later this year is a victory for the tenacity and campaigning skills of Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member, Mike German and all those who have supported him in this endeavour.

He has been fighting for some time to ensure that motorists can use cards rather than cash when entering Wales and has finally seen some reward for his efforts. It has not been easy however. As the BBC report:

A working group has established that credit and debit cards can be accepted in principle.

It featured representatives from the Highways Agency, the Severn River Crossing (SRC), Welsh Assembly Government and the UK government, and presented its findings to the Highways Agency in October 2008.

Discussions have since taken place with banks and equipment suppliers.

But before cards can be introduced, UK legislation governing the crossings needs to be amended as it does not allow card payments.

A Highways Agency spokesperson for Wales said the agency was still waiting for confirmation of that change.

A spokesperson for the UK Department of Transport confirmed that the necessary change to UK law to enable card payments has not yet happened.

She said: “We’ve initiated the amendment but it’s not gone through the process yet.”

Mike German’s next campaign is to get the tolls abolished altogether The bridges will revert back to public ownership around 2016 and he believes that the Welsh Government is now in a prime position to push for a decision, reduce the tolls or take them away:

“The current situation is no longer sustainable. The bridges will have been paid for and here’s a great opportunity to boost the prosperity of Wales.”

“There was a study on the Humber Bridge in Yorkshire/Lincolnshire, where local authorities clubbed together to commission a report on the likely effects of toll abolition or reduction. The findings were clear: an enormous impact on job creation and a better, stronger regional economy would result from no tolls or reduced ones. The Welsh Government hasn’t got long until 2016 to present their own case.”

“Its bad news for Wales to pay an entry toll for business, commuters and for tourism. Even Gavin and Stacey had problem ‘paying the appropriate fee to enter the country’. As we have seen over the use of cards to pay tolls, it has taken far too long to get a change and the Welsh Government hasn’t got much time to collect the evidence and call for changes.”

Abolish Severn Bridge Tolls Call

Freedom Central — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:09:22 +0000

The Welsh Assembly Government will be told this afternoon that the tolls on both Severn Bridges into Wales should be abolished.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member, Michael German, will use his speech to the Assembly this afternoon to demand that the Welsh Government urgently commission a study to on the effects of the Severn tolls on the Welsh economy

Mr. German says that the bridges will revert back to public ownership around 2016 and the Welsh Government is now in a prime position to push for a decision: reduce the tolls or take them away. “The current situation is no longer sustainable. The bridges will have been paid for and here’s a great opportunity to boost the prosperity of Wales.”

He pointed to a study on the Humber Bridge in Yorkshire/Lincolnshire, where local authorities clubbed together to commission a report on the likely effects of toll abolition or reduction. “The findings were clear: an enormous impact on job creation and a better, stronger regional economy would result from no tolls or reduced ones. The Welsh Government hasn’t got long until 2016 to present their own case.”

Some Conference videos

Freedom Central — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:59:27 +0000

As usual Welsh Liberal Democrats are playing an active part in Conference both in the main hall and on the fringe. This first video is of Kirsty summing up on the debate on devolution yesterday morning:

Later in the day Mike German summed up the motion that made the Liberal Democrats the only party to have official policy on a way forward in respect of the Severn barrage:

In the evening Lembit Opik MP went onto the fringe to call for the renationalisation of the railways, which is apparently already Welsh Liberal Democrat policy. The Federal Party debates a motion on Tuesday.

Shoots… and scores?

Freedom Central — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:40:00 +0000

So, the Severnside Lib Dems have reached a conclusion on the Severn Barrage. You can read the press release on the Severn report here. The BBC cover it here.

The report itself is pretty readable, as these things go. Its argument makes a lot of sense. It would of course, be a change of policy for the party on either side of the estuary, and will need to be voted on at conference in the Autumn.

My own approach to the question of Severn energy has been to ask, What would Brunel do? But on balance, I don’t think Brunel would have been so bothered about the fish.

Should make for interesting discussions over the weekend.

Kirsty wins approval of party members

Freedom Central — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:55:00 +0000

A poll of party members on the Liberal Democrat Voice website has delivered an overwhelming endorsement of Kirsty Williams’ first few months as Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader.

A survey, conducted via Liberty Research on the site’s private member’s forum, asked a number of questions about the party and the current state of British politics. Almost 200 members completed it.

One of the questions related to the performance of the Liberal Democrat shadow cabinet, and a handful of other senior Liberal Democrats. Each person was assessed on their effectiveness expressed as a net satisfaction rating (those who think they’re very/fairly effective minus those think they’re very/fairly ineffective).

In terms of the non-MPs, Kirsty Williams emerged as very highly thought of, probably boosted by her performance at the Harrogate Federal Conference at the beginning of March. These are the ratings of leading Liberal Democrat figures outside the shadow cabinet:

Andrew Duff, Leader of the UK Lib Dem MEPs: -11% (-6% in November)
Kirsty Williams AM, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats: +42% (-25% for Mike German in November)
Mike Tuffrey, Leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the London Assembly: -17% (-21% )
Ros Scott, Party President-elect of the Liberal Democrats: +50% (+52%)
Tavish Scott MSP, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats: +15% (+16%)

A highly creditable performance reflecting the impact she has made since being elected leader.

Incompetent Labour-Plaid government sending £77 million back to Europe.

Freedom Central — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Welsh Liberal Democrat European spokesperson, Mike German, has expressed his deep frustration at the £77 million being sent back to Europe because of Labour-Plaid incompetence and lack of vision.

As a result of questions from Mike German during the scrutiny of the First Minister and officials in the European Committee, it was revealed that Wales will send back 5% of the Structural Funds given to Wales over the 2000-2006 round of funding.

Further questioning revealed that around £46.2 million of European money had been allocated to various projects however due to the lack of Assembly government strategic planning some projects have not been able to spend all the European money. A worrying 2% of European funding, which totals nearly £31 million was not allocated to any projects in Wales.

Mike German who served as Minister for Economic Development in the 2000-2003 Partnership Government said:

“In these difficult economic times when businesses are going under, it is near incomprehensible that the Labour-Plaid government is going to send £77 million back to Europe. This money is offered by the European Union to accelerate economic development in some of the poorest regions of Wales. The Labour-Plaid government owes it to the people of Wales to put this money to work.

“The Assembly government has talked a lot over the last four years about having a more strategic approach to European funding, but there’s nothing strategic about sending the money back, while West Wales and the Valleys continue to be less prosperous than the rest of Europe.

“The simple reason why this money has not been allocated is due to a lack of ambition and strategic planning on behalf of the Labour-Plaid government.

“Nearly £46 million will be sent back to Europe due to lack of the Labour-Plaid government’s strategic planning as some projects have not been able to spend the money. A key reason for this is that the Assembly government has allocated a smaller amount of mach funding this year and the next than previous years. Match funding is a key issue for project managers, without it, European money cannot be spent.

“Sending the money back will be a damning indictment of this One Wales government.”