16Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

PM’s decision to scrap DFID shows Government turning its back on most in need

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports that the Prime Minister will announce later today that the Foreign Office and Department for International Development are set to be merged, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for International Development Wendy Chamberlain said: “Not content with depriving disadvantaged kids of their free school meals, the Prime Minister is now choosing to abolish the department whose job is to support the most vulnerable people around the world. "UK aid prevents suffering. The Liberal Democrats have always made absolutely clear our unequivocal support for Britain’s role as a world leader in providing aid to those most in need. By working internationally we can achieve so much more than we can alone. "This decision shows the extent of the Prime Minister’s determination to see the UK turn its back on the world.”…
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16Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government spending £120m on Festival for Brexit instead of free school meals over the summer

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have accused the Government of being "callous and heartless" for spending £120m on a Festival For Brexit, when the same amount of money could be spent on extending free school meals over the summer. Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson, Layla Moran, made the intervention ahead of an opposition debate today on calls to extend free school meals during the coronavirus outbreak. The Government recently confirmed that the Festival for Brexit will be going ahead in 2022, with £120 million of taxpayers' money earmarked for the event. This is the exact same amount it would cost to extend free school meals to all eligible pupils over the six-week summer holiday. Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Layla Moran said: “Leaving children hungry while ploughing millions into Brexit propaganda is callous and…
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15Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems condemn Government decision to scrap GRA reform

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports that the Government will ban conversion therapy, but has dropped plans to simplify the gender recognition process, Liberal Democrat Equalities spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “We have fought long and hard to ban conversion therapy, but if the Conservatives think the fight for LGBT+ rights ends there, they are very wrong. “The Liberal Democrats will always stand up for equality and human rights for all, and that includes reforming the Gender Recognition Act to make it easier for people to gain legal recognition of their gender identity. “With trans people continuing to face discrimination, harassment, and experience lower wellbeing, shelving reform of the Gender Recognition Act will continue the suffering of far too many across the UK. “It is time the Government stopped preventing trans people from living freely,…
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15Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must support struggling families

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Government's announcement of a cross-governmental commission to address the inequalities that BAME communities face, Liberal Democrat Equalities Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “Too many people’s lives are blighted by discrimination, inequality and injustice. The Government must move further and faster to redress institutional racism in the criminal justice system and many other parts of our society. “The Liberal Democrats have joined with BAME communities in calling for a government-wide race equality strategy, so this commission is a welcome first step. It shows that the Black Lives Matter protests are working, and that is to the credit of everyone who has raised their voices against racial injustice since the appalling killing of George Floyd. “To be successful, this commission must be wide-ranging, far-reaching as well as truly cross-departmental and cross-party. It is…
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13Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Plea from Deputy Leader that Businesses check eligibility for vital scheme

Borough news
Liberal Democrat Councillor Chris Gloster, who has responsibility as shadow cabinet member for Finance is appealing to all Oldham Borough business owners.  This is to ensure they have applied for a business grant if they have not already done so.   Councillor Gloster said:  “With the outbreak of Covid-19, and the subsequent lockdown, £55 million became available to fund qualifying local businesses in the sum of either £10,000 or £25,000 dependent upon the rateable value of their business premises, even if rates were not payable.  This is a grant, not a loan, and is designed to help businesses through this difficult time.   “Currently the council have paid out in excess of £40 million, to about 80% of qualifying businesses, and have written to business premises twice to alert them to this…
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12Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems set out Five Point Plan to help pupils back to school

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have put forward a plan to “work in unity” at a local and national level to consider ways to safely open schools more widely in England and support disadvantaged pupils in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. Presenting the Party’s Five Point Plan in a letter to the PM and Education Secretary, Layla Moran urged the Government to bring together council leaders, teachers, unions, experts and opposition politicians to agree a national plan for the safe, phased opening of schools more widely in England. The plans put forward by the Liberal Democrats offer possible ways to get more pupils back in classrooms safely including: Safe space registers enabling schools to use local buildings for social distancingRecruiting additional staff through a Teach for Britain campaignEnd the learning void by working…
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12Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Chatty Checkouts and Chatty Cafes: let’s get people talking!

Borough news
One of the hidden impacts of the lockdown has been the massive affect that is has had on people's mental health, with social isolation worsening existing problems for many people. As we start the process of ending lockdown, Liberal Democrat Councillors Dave Murphy and Chris Gloster have brought a motion for the 17 June Oldham Council meeting to try and combat this. The idea behind Chatty Checkouts and Chatty Cafes is to get people speaking to one another. This is at designated tables in cafes and shop checkouts counters.  People can forge friendships and escape the trap of isolation. Oldham has already begun to pioneer this idea, but the Liberal Democrats want to take this further and get Oldham Council behind it. Councillor Murphy comments: “Councillors should be constantly to looking at…
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12Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

PM must not jeopardise economic recovery with threat of no-deal

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) statistics out today that show the UK's economy shrank by 20.4% in April, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “We face the most serious economic challenge in generations. This is not a time to exit the world’s largest market. This is not a time to increase trade barriers. This is not a time to deny business skills they need with a damaging new immigration system. “Liberal Democrats will continue to make the case for a Green Recovery Plan and policies that back responsible businesses. “We can create jobs and protect the environment by investing in new, green technologies but we need imaginative new policies and strong political leadership. “The Prime Minister should not be putting Britain’s chances for an economic recovery…
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12Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Yet more dishonesty from the Government on test and trace system

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports that the Health Secretary has been misleading about the number of contacts that have been traced, using the governments test and trace system, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “Yet more obfuscation from the Health Secretary today on the testing and tracing system. In normal times this kind of dishonesty from the government is  extremely problematic, during a pandemic it is dangerous. “If people do not trust the government they are less likely to have faith in a test and trace system and less likely to follow guidelines, people want clarity and honesty from Ministers. “Without a comprehensive test, trace and isolate system it is almost impossible to keep people safe as we move out of lockdown. Ministers have failed to make this happen and apparently won't be…
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11Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems lead cross party push for more diverse curriculum

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have secured cross party support for a bid to review the national curriculum in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests to combat “institutional racism in the UK”.  In a letter to the Education Secretary coordinated by Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Layla Moran, MPs from across the political spectrum call for the inclusion of "a more diverse range of historical perspectives in our curriculum". The cross-party group request a review of the curriculum is undertaken by leading historians and advocates from BAME backgrounds. The MPs from all major opposition parties also call for teachers to have access to "the support and training necessary to translate it into learning in the classroom", to ensure "real progress" in schools. Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson said:  “The Black Lives Matter protests in…
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