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Welcome to High Peak Liberal Democrats!

The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity.

Difficult Choices


The Constituency Party of the High Peak Liberal Democrats is managed by an Executive Committee which is elected annually. It manages the affairs of the party within the High Peak.

The Executive consists of a Constituency President, Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary and Data Officer and members elected by the branches. Meetings are held regularly and move around the High Peak to make it easy for all members to come along.

We are one of the six counties which make up the East Midlands Region of the Liberal Democrats. It oversees matters like the selection of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates and is the base for our MEP, Bill Newton Dunn.

Like all constituencies of the Liberal Democrat Party we follow national policies which are voted on at conference, taking our lead from the party headquarters at Cowley Street in London.

Recent updates

  • Lorely Burt
    Article: Feb 7, 2012

    Commenting on today's opposition debate, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party Committee on Business, Innovation and Skills, Lorely Burt said:

    "The sheer hypocrisy of Labour to point the finger on bankers' bonuses is staggering. Labour presided over the biggest boom in bonuses this country has seen, from £3.1bn in 2001 to £11.5 billion in 2007. At the same time, they sat back and knighted the financial speculators who led this country to the brink of economic collapse.

    "The Coalition Government inherited this economic mess from Labour and has taken decisive action to put the country back on track. We've capped cash bonuses at state owned banks to £2,000 and overall, the bonus pool is smaller than last year and considerably less than under Labour.

    "In Government, Liberal Democrats are doing the right thing - implementing the Vickers' proposals to make banking safer in the future, continuing our fight to get the banks to lend more and introducing the banking levy which raises £2.5bn a year. All Labour can do is complain from the side lines.

    "While Labour spent thirteen years being intensely relaxed about people getting filthy rich, Liberal Democrats have made clear that our priority is lifting the lowest paid people out of paying income tax all together."

  • huppert
    Article: Feb 7, 2012

    Commenting on Liberal Democrat Transport Minister Norman Baker's announcement of £15m to boost cycling, including £8m for transport charity Sustrans to enhance cycle routes and £7m to make it easier for cyclists to use the railways, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party Committee on Transport, Julian Huppert said:

    "Promoting cycling and green transport is the right thing to do and I am delighted Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government are taking action.

    "This comes at a crucial time. Just five days ago The Times launched a cycle campaign in response to the shocking increase in fatalities among cyclists on our roads.

    "It is absolutely essential people should be able to walk to work or cycle to school in a safe environment. The extra £8m for Sustrans will go a long way to achieving this.

    "And the £7m for improved rail-cycle links will ensure that we continue to build a transport network which puts passengers first."

    The investment is in addition to the £560m Local Sustainable Transport Fund announced in January 2011. This additional funding, heavily geared towards cycling, will support jobs, enhance access to employment and encourage greater use of more environmentally friendly transport.

    Sustrans - the UK transport charity - will receive £8m for projects to enhance cycle routes across England. The remaining £7m will be allocated through the Cycle Rail Working Group - the body which brings together representatives of the rail industry and the cycling sector - to improve integration between cycle and rail at stations. Measures will include safer and more convenient cycle racks, additional cycle parking and storage, and better access for cyclists. This will complement the £7m that Network Rail is already spending in this area.

    Local Transport Minister Norman Baker said:

    "This fund underlines the firm commitment of the Coalition Government to sustainable transport".

    "If we are serious about reducing carbon, then we need to get more people walking and cycling. But we must do it in a way that boosts the economy".

    "I want this fund to support projects that create growth and tackle climate change by cutting our carbon emissions".

    "I look forward to seeing the projects put forward by Sustrans and the Cycle Rail Working Group and working with them to deliver transport that is greener, healthier and improves quality of life in our communities."

    Both organisations will now work up the specific projects they intend to fund. The successful projects will be announced in March.

  • Article: Feb 7, 2012
    In www.bbc.co.uk

    The Supreme Court is to hear a case challenging the way councils in England can consider their finances when assessing people for social care. A severely disabled man - known as KM - and four charities will say care should be the same wherever a person lives.

    Cambridgeshire County Council awarded KM about £85,000 a year, for care that a social worker estimated at £157,000. If the appeal is successful, councils will have to reconsider how they assess the needs of disabled people. Following a ruling in 1997 by the House of Lords, councils in England can currently consider their resources when assessing the needs of disabled adults.

  • Article: Feb 6, 2012
    In www.bbc.co.uk

    For several years cochlear implants have offered some deaf people the chance to have a "sensation of sound". So why would some deaf teenagers choose not to have the implant even if they had the option? The issue of cochlear implants and efforts to "cure" deafness is a very sensitive subject among the 19,600 deaf teenagers in the UK. Indeed, many young deaf people are proud of deaf culture.

  • Article: Feb 6, 2012

    The risk of birth defects increases four-fold if the pregnant mother has diabetes, researchers say. The Newcastle University study, published in the journal Diabetologia, analysed data from more than 400,000 pregnancies in North East England. The risk of defects such as congenital heart disease and spina bifida were increased.

  • Graham Watson MEP
    Article: Feb 6, 2012
    By Graham Watson

    South West Liberal Democrat MEP and President of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform party Sir Graham Watson today introduced David Chalmers, who sits on the Board of the Kaleidoscope Trust, to European Commissioner for development Andris Piebalgs regarding EU funding for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex issues in the developing world.

  • Issan Ghazni
    Article: Feb 6, 2012
    By Issan Ghazni, Chair of EMLD in Lib Dem Voice

    This February marks the final United Nations (UN) Preparatory Committee session before the deciding negotiations in July 2012 for a legally binding Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). As this critical moment approaches, we need to call on our Party Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to support the strongest possible Treaty.

  • Article: Feb 5, 2012
    By Cllr Michael Wyatt

    Wyatt calls on Council to bid for Portas funding for Coalville Town High Street

    The government is looking for 12 run down High Streets in England to share £1m as part of plans proposed by TV retail guru Mary Portas.

    Areas will bid for support from a dedicated team and Ms Portas herself. The scheme was described as a "golden ticket" for town centres by local government minister, Grant Shapps.

  • Norman Lamb
    Article: Feb 3, 2012

    Following the promotion of Norman Lamb MP to be Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills East Midlands Liberal Democrats will have to wait until next week when Norman has had a chance to read his Ministerial Diary before we can confirm our Keynote Speaker for our Spring Conference in Leicester on Saturday 18th February. We are, or maybe were, looking forward to hearing about work in Government from the centre as Norman was until today (Friday) Assistant Whip & Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister, Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP.

  • Ed Davey MP
    Article: Feb 3, 2012

    Ed Davey attended Nottingham High School (1974-84) where he was head boy in 1984. He took first class honours in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Jesus College, Oxford (1985-1988) where he was elected President of the College's Junior Common Room and was active in an environmental campaigning group.