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Welcome to the Chesterfield Lib Dems website

Whether you live within a short radius of the Crooked Spire or much further afield, you are most welcome.

Just 550 votes more and Chesterfield is a Lib Dem town again! A regular 38% plus continuing support in elections says it can be done.

Chesterfield is a town of nearly 100,000 people - about 40,000 households - in the north eastern part of Derbyshire. The parliamentary constituency coincides more or less with the Borough. Local government is provided at two levels: the County Council, sitting in Matlock, and our own Borough Council. Within the Borough, Staveley has its own Town Council and Brimington its Parish Council.

From 2001-10, Libdems held the seat of Chesterfield. Paul Holmes unfortunately lost by just 549 votes at the last General Election. For 8 years, 2003-11, the Lib Dems were in control of the Chesterfield Borough Council, and still retained 40% of the vote after losing control in 2011.

We are proud of what was achieved in those years, and much of the town is prospering, in spite of the economic downturn generally.

Please give us your thoughts; to do so contact us on contactus@chesterfieldlibdems.org.uk

Chesterfield Lib Dems are still alive and well. We are conscientious in opposition and we look forward to fighting future elections in the County (2013), in Europe(2014) and in the Borough (2015). With your help we'll succeed!

Recent updates

The stories below come from places across the East Midlands region. Although some of them aren't local news by a distance, they nevertheless give a feeling of how places throughout our region are faring. A link to recent Chesterfield Only stories can be found by clicking here.
  • Downing Street
    Opinion: The government is in real trouble and needs a new chancellor
    Article: May 22, 2012
    By Lev Eakins in Liberal Democrat Voice

    1. The Economy - It's not growing, despite good signs in manufacturing and a recent drop in unemployment, we're back in recession and could even face another almighty shock if the Euro crisis deepens.

    2. Ministers mucking things up - May, Hunt and Osborne have provided the government with a fatal combination of not getting the basics right (Abu Qatada and airport queues), the smell of sleaze (Murdoch) and the fallout from cutting taxes for the wealthy whilst raising them for pasty eaters, grannies and Churches.

    3. Labour sky high in polls - Labour exceeded expectations in the local elections but worse is the national polling showing them with leads from 8% points (ICM), 10 points (Mori) and 14 points (YouGov). However, most important of all, they are starting to lead the government on economic competence.

    4. Hollande - The last time a first-term French President failed to get re-elected was in 1981. What appeared to undo the charismatic right-wing incumbent was the economy, with a media-awkward left-wing challenger claiming victory on an anti-austerity ticket. Sound familiar?

    The government must get a grip over day-to-day issues. Perhaps Teresa May should be moved out of the Home Office. The Leveson inquiry could provide some closure over the Murdoch affair if the government accepts the recommendations. Hunt may be forced to go. However, the elephant in the room is the economy.

    We should have a government reshuffle in the next few days, and if Osborne isn't privately working on a new economic policy, or at least a substantial, credible growth plan to bolt onto it, then I would argue the only way to rescue the government is for Cameron to remove him from the Treasury.

    We would need someone who isn't as politicly scheming as he is, a centrist, an economist who has had successful business experience outside the Westminster village and, preferably, someone who cannot be characterised as 'posh'. I would argue Vince Cable, Ken Clarke or David Laws fit this role.

    Cable's stewardship at BIS has seen some sectors of manufacturing enjoy a quiet resurgence and for the first time since 1976 we're a net exporter of cars. His personal intervention in securing the Vauxhall factory at Ellesmere port, saving 2,100 jobs and creating 700 more also secures his future in the cabinet. It's not difficult to imagine Cable forcing the banks to lend more and more quickly. Clarke has the experience of turning round a failing economy as he did in the 90s and his experience of combating Whitehall resistance is invaluable. Laws oozes raw economic talent and commands huge respect from both sides of the coalition.

    Any of these three have the credibility, experience and political position to turn the fortunes of the government around. The question is, does Osborne have a plan, and, if not, will Cameron have the balls to change the occupant of number 11? If he doesn't, the next occupant will be Balls himself - a truly frightening thought.

    * Lev Eakins is a former Manchester Councillor and parliamentary candidate who now lives in Sussex.

  • Student Fees
    Article: May 22, 2012

    Tony Gillam - Gedling Borough Council - asked - May 21 2012

    A question for our all-knowing readers, on student fees.
    The grant which the government gives to universities to subsidise student fees - does it subsidise the fees of all students (including foreign students) or just EU students, or just British students?
  • Tim Farron
    Tim Farron MP writes: - Send in your nominations for Party Awards
    Article: May 21, 2012
    By Tim Farron MP in Liberal Democrat Voice

    Each year at Autumn Conference, the Party President presents three awards to party members who have gone above and beyond for the party for longer than most of us can remember. There are three awards available:

    President's Award - this is an award for those party members who have been elected to public office at one point or another - for those who have been councillors or council leaders; for ex-MPs and MEPs. It rewards members who have given an overwhelming amount of time, effort, and support to the Liberal Democrats, and was last year won by Doris Ansari who has been a dominant figure in Cornwall politics for 40 years.

  • Gainsborough councillors resign
    News from Gainsborough
    Article: May 16, 2012

    Test1

    Test2

    Test3

  • Stephen Williams MP
    Give RBS and Lloyds shares to the public - Williams
    Article: May 15, 2012

    The Treasury Select Committee is today taking evidence on what the Government should do with its stakes in RBS and Lloyds, including a proposal first made by Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Treasury Committee, Stephen Williams to give Government-owned shares to the public.

    Commenting, Stephen Williams who published a report called 'Getting your share of the banks: giving the banks back to the people' in March 2011 said:

    "This is a very popular idea which would give the public something back for bailing out the banks.

    "I welcome the Treasury Select Committee's review into what to do with the Government's holding in RBS and Lloyds and hope that it furthers the case for giving the public their share."

  • Leon Duveen
    Outcome was positive in Worksop and Retford
    Article: May 14, 2012
    By Letter from Leon Duveen in Worksop Guardian

    On behalf of Mark Hunter, our candidate in East Retford East and myself, who stood in Worksop South, can I thank all the people who voted for us in the elections last week.

    Although we didn't win in either of the wards we achieved creditable results, especially when you consider the size of our party locally compared to the Tories & Labour. Indeed in Worksop South, I managed to more than double the Lib Dem share of the vote.

    The other notable fact that came out of the election is that both the wards we stood in the turn outs were higher than the average in Retford & Worksop respectively. This shows how important to a healthy local democracy it is to have third option for voters. It was also notable how hard both these parties had to work in the ward I contested, especially compared to neighbouring wards.

    Even though many in the Labour Party were expressing concerns about our future, Bassetlaw Liberal Democrats are committed to carry on fighting for the ordinary people of the district and will be here, working for you and fighting elections in the years to come.

    Our relative success this year has encouraged us to look forward to the county elections next year. We will also keep up the pressure on both Bassetlaw District Council and Nottinghamshire County Council to make sure Worksop gets the bus station it deserves and to bring town councils to both Worksop and Retford.

    Leon Duveen

    Bassetlaw & Sherwood Liberal Democrat Campaigner

  • Queen's Speech - what have the Liberal Democrats brought to the table?
    Article: May 10, 2012
    By Caron Lindsay in Liberal Democrat Voice

    There is much to cheer Liberal Democrats in the planned measures.

    • Lords Reform
    • Green Investment Bank
    • Libel Reform
    • Giving shareholders a vote on directors' remuneration
    • Flexible parental leave - the measure Nick Clegg's championed to give families the choices that work for them by allowing parents to divide leave entitlements between them whereas now the mother is entitled to a year's leave, the father just two weeks.
    • Meeting the 0.7% target for overseas aid
    • Reform of the State Pension, driven by Steve Webb
    • Establishing a Groceries Adjudicator to ensure the big supermarkets treat their suppliers fairly
    • Banking reform as championed by Vince Cable
    • Reform of electricity markets - especially on fair pricing
    • Continued progress towards reforming succession so that girls have equal rights to boys, as championed by Lynne Featherstone

    These issues, all or in part, would not be happening without the Liberal Democrats in Government.

    There will be some elements of the forthcoming legislation which will cause anxiety for Liberal Democrats. Some will worry about the effects of public sector pension reform, others about the legislation for secret courts which Liberty has been campaigning against. Dilution of employment rights, although it doesn't go anywhere near as far as the Tories wanted, will not go down well with Liberal Democrats who already feel it's too easy for employers to treat workers badly.

    Had it not been for the intervention of the Liberal Democrats, the Government would be introducing immediate legislation allowing surveillance of internet communication. After a furious reaction from the Party last month, this has been demoted to draft legislation, giving a longer period for scrutiny. This is a key civil liberties issue for the Liberal Democrats, one which unites the party and which prompted 15 MPs to write to the press saying they would oppose the plans. Unless the legislation contains all the safeguards deemed necessary by Julian Huppert on Liberal Democrat Voice last month, there will be great disquiet within the Party. This battle is far from over.

    Other measures in the Queen's Speech include more help for disabled children and support for them within the family courts system along with more powers for the Children's Commissioner. There will also be a draft bill on adult social care, a controversial issue where achieving a consensus is vital.

    While it may suit the Tories to keep the news agenda focused on Lords Reform and equal marriage (which was never going to be in the Queen's Speech given the fact that the consultation is still going on), there is no getting away from the fact that the Liberal Democrats have come up with many of the measures which will make people's lives easier and tackle vested interests.

    * Caron Lindsay is Wednesday editor at Lib Dem Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings

  • Shirley Wiliams in Nottingham
    Shirley Williams thanks Nottingham Liberal Democrats and forwards details of NHS amendments
    Article: May 9, 2012

    Dear Issan,

    Thank you very much for your hard work on the event on Saturday. It was an enjoyable occasion and I hope you felt it went well.

    I mentioned this House of Commons' Library report on the amendments to the health bill: http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN06252

    Please circulate it as widely as you can. If you provide me with a postal address, I will send you a hard copy.

  • Video - Shirley Williams address East Midlands Liberal Democrats in Nottingham
    Article: May 9, 2012
Older items
Do you approve of the decision of the ruling Labour Group on Chesterfield Borough Council to replace the 'gateway' signs which featured the Crooked Spire, with new 'gateway' signs which omits it?
Get in touch

To get in touch with Chesterfield Liberal Democrats, you may write to us at Unit 39 The Clocktower Business Park, Works Road, Hollingwood, Chesterfield S43 2PE. Our phone number is 01246 471 191.

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