20Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems bid to block corporate lawsuits watering down protections post-Brexit

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have launched an attempt in Parliament to block corporations from using secretive tribunals to water down environmental or worker protections, and safeguard human rights and transparency in post-Brexit trade deals. Liberal Democrat MPs have tabled an amendment to the Trade Bill – which is due to be debated in the House of Commons on Monday – to require the Government to assess each new trade agreement’s impact on citizens’ rights with regard to gender, age, race, class and economic well-being. With separate amendments, the Party’s MPs will attempt to stop the Government from introducing controversial “investor-state dispute settlements” – better known as ISDS. Through such mechanisms, large overseas corporations can sue the UK if they believe that certain laws, such as environmental or worker protections, harm their…
Read More
20Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Chinese treatment of Uyghurs amounts to genocide, Lib Dem warns

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have called on the Foreign Secretary to acknowledge that the Chinese government is "engineering a genocide of the Uyghur people" and to come before Parliament before the recess to set out the Government's response. In a letter to the Foreign Secretary, the Party's Foreign Affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael urged the Government to use the next round of targeted sanctions on individuals responsible for human rights abuses in China. The intervention follows the Chinese Ambassador to the UK denying on The Andrew Marr Show that the Uyghur people are being transported across China for forced labour in factories. Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said: “The images we have seen in recent days are harrowing and inhuman. The Government has a duty to take a lead and…
Read More
17Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government’s half-baked merger plan is threat to international aid

Parliamentary news
Responding to the International Development Committee’s final report into the 'Effectiveness of UK aid’, which warns the 'impulsive' decision to abolish DFID is likely to have dire consequences, Liberal Democrat International Development Spokesperson Wendy Chamberlain said: “For countless vulnerable people in need around the globe, UK international aid has made a vital difference. We should be proud of that. “All the experts warn that Dominic Raab’s half-baked plan is threatening international aid. The Tories should be ashamed for looking at reducing global poverty as nothing more than a political choice. “We need oversight now more than ever. Ministers must commit to retaining the ICAI, the International Development Committee and a Development Minister in Cabinet or public faith will be washed away."
Read More
17Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

PM change to guidance is reckless and flies in the face of experts

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Prime Minister's annoucement on the change to guidance on using public transport and going to workplaces in England, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “While we all want life to get back to normal as soon as possible, people remain rightly worried about coronavirus. The Prime Minister’s plan to change current guidance for working at home and public transport use is utterly reckless and flies in the face of experts, including the UK's Chief Scientific Adviser. “With Government testing and tracing plans in an unholy mess, it is deeply irresponsible to throw caution to the wind like this. Ministers are passing the buck and, without protections, they have opened the door to serious disputes between employees and employers. "The Government must be held to account to…
Read More
16Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems secure PM commitment to independent inquiry

Parliamentary news
Acting Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has today secured a commitment from the Prime Minister to an independent inquiry into the Government’s handling of the Covid-19 crisis and called for the timetable to be set out immediately. Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions today, Ed Davey warned that under Boris Johnson’s leadership the country has suffered “one of the worst death rates in the world and Europe’s worst death rate of health and care workers.” Making reference to Boris Johnson’s support for an independent inquiry into the Iraq War, the Liberal Democrat Acting Leader again urged the Prime Minister to “commit in principle to a future independent inquiry”. In response, the Prime Minister accepted his Government will “learn the lessons of this pandemic” and confirmed there will be in independent inquiry.…
Read More
16Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Consequences of Government cuts for BBC is now clear as day

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports the BBC have announced Politics Live will be kept amidst fresh jobs losses, Liberal Democrat Digital, Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson Daisy Cooper said: “At a time when families are facing serious financial hardship, these job losses are really worrying. They will have a knock on impact for many of the production companies and people who are already wrongly excluded from government support. “While I welcome the decision to listen to the demands from Liberal Democrats and others to protect Politics Live and launch new investigative programs, I fear these job cuts will seriously diminish the BBC’s important global reach at this crucial juncture for our country. “Let’s be clear: these are Government enforced cuts and the inevitable consequence of the Government forcing the BBC to take…
Read More
16Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must not use commission as an excuse to stall on tackling racism

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Government's publication of the membership of its Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, Liberal Democrat Equalities Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “As Black Lives Matter has shown, the Conservative Government urgently needs to redress institutional racism in the criminal justice system and many other parts of our society. “I wish the commission well, and commit the Liberal Democrats to playing a constructive role. But, to guarantee this commission has real teeth, the Prime Minister should commit now to ensuring the recommendations to come don’t just sit and gather dust. “Conservative Ministers must not use the commission as an excuse to stall on tackling racism. We need a Race Equality Strategy now, starting with scrapping the Hostile Environment policies and suspicion-less Stop and Search.”
Read More
16Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

PM running scared of real scrutiny from Intelligence Committee

Parliamentary news
Responding to news that Julian Lewis MP has had the Conservative Party Whip withdrawn following his election to the position of chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee, Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Alistair Carmichael said: “Chris Grayling was never an obvious choice for a committee dealing with intelligence and security - he is notorious for not having much of either. "Having failed to install a loyalist to the post, the Prime Minister is now running scared of real scrutiny. Removing the whip from Julian Lewis is an overreaction, most likely from Dominic Cummings rather than the Chief Whip. "The Prime Minister must stop interfering and let the Committee do its job. This starts with publishing the Russia Report immediately and allowing MPs to debate it before the Summer Recess. MPs…
Read More
16Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

We need a proper Green Recovery Plan to protect jobs

Parliamentary news
Responding to ONS unemployment figures showing that the number of workers on payrolls has fallen by 649,000 between March and June, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “Every single person losing their job reminds us that coronavirus is a tragedy that cuts across every aspect of people’s lives. Managing this health and economic crisis demands the best possible leadership at the top of our country. “The Conservative Government’s shambolic handling of the pandemic has made the economic challenge we are facing far worse than it need have been. We need much better political leaders than Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings if we are going to help those losing their jobs. “With this sharp rise in job losses, the Chancellor must urgently look at additional support, otherwise there…
Read More
16Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

People deserve better than this Government’s NHS Test and Trace system

Parliamentary news
Responding to statistics out today that reveal NHS Test and Trace has only reached 71.1% of 'close contacts' of people who have tested positive for COVID-19, Liberal Democrat Health spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “The coronavirus crisis is taking an enormous toll and people are rightly worried about loved ones. The only way to allay fears and keep people safe is with a comprehensive strategy to test, trace and isolate every case of coronavirus. "Under the leadership of this Prime Minister, however, it is becoming clearer that the Government failed to prepare. It is no wonder a management consultancy has been drafted in to get things right, but at what cost? "People deserve better. The Liberal Democrats will continue to hold the Prime Minister's feet to the fire to ensure the…
Read More