26May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must invest now in mental health support given impact of COVID-19

Parliamentary news
Statistics from the ONS show that across Great Britain from 3 April to 3 May 2020, some 80% of adults were worried about the effect that COVID-19 was having on their life. Responding to these figures, Munira Wilson, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Health, Wellbeing and Social Care, said: “The majority of people right across the country have experienced a tangible, detrimental mental health impact as a result of the coronavirus crisis. Ministers must recognise that the mental health scars of COVID-19 will be deep. We need to see investment now to ensure that people - regardless of where they live - can access the support they need, when they need it.  “That's why the Liberal Democrats are calling for the Government to urgently increase funding for and provision of mental health support. We are…
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26May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must scrap Vagrancy Act as part of plan to end rough sleeping for good

Parliamentary news
Responding to news that £53m will be provided for support services to help rough sleepers in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran said: “COVID-19 forced the Government to take urgent action to end rough sleeping. I welcome these efforts, but that action should have been taken years ago, as the Liberal Democrats have long-called for. Now we must seize the opportunity to ensure that we never return to the status quo and end rough sleeping for good.  “The Government must urgently pass legislation to scrap the Dickensian Vagrancy Act, which unfairly penalises people for sleeping rough. Instead we need to support people in finding secure accommodation. The additional funding announced will help, but we need to ensure it is sufficient for the long term. “Ministers must also make sure local authorities can be confident…
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25May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

PM’s own judgement now in question

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Prime Minister backing his scandal-hit aide, Dominic Cummings, at yesterday’s press conference, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “Millions of people who’ve made huge sacrifices to keep to the rules will be astonished and angry at how the Prime Minister is now bending the rules for his closest aide. “By failing to act, the Prime Minister undermines his own authority to lead the country through this appalling crisis, bringing his own judgement into question. “The Government’s efforts to defeat coronavirus on testing, on PPE for frontline workers and on stopping the tragedy in our care homes are still inadequate. The Prime Minister’s failure to act on this scandal won’t help turn that around. “Conservative MPs must stop defending the indefensible and support our calls for…
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22May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Migrant NHS & social care workers must be given must be given right to remain

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports that the Government has u-turned and will exempt NHS and care staff from paying the Immigration Health Surcharge, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “This is a positive step from the Government but the PM must go further. All migrants working in the NHS & social care during this crisis should be given the right to stay in the UK, with no visa fees and no bureaucracy. “Thousands of NHS and care workers from around the world have made huge sacrifices and put themselves in danger for us. It should be unthinkable that the Home Office would ever force them to leave the country they have served so well.  “MPs from across Parliament who managed to pressure the Government into the exemption must now focus their attention on .giving these heroes the right…
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21May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

PM backs Lib Dem calls for COVID hero honours round

Parliamentary news
The Government has announced today that it will issue a special honours list in Autumn, following Jamie Stone's calls to the Prime Minister asking for an additional honours round to celebrate coronavirus heroes.  In his initial letter, Jamie Stone made it clear that any honours round must go alongside an independent review of the salaries paid to those working on on the frontlines of the crisis. Despite taking up the idea to introduce an honours round, the Prime Minister has not announced a salary review for key workers.   Responding to the announcement, Jamie Stone said: “It is great to see the Prime Minister has listened to the calls to officially recognise the bravery of our Coronavirus heroes this autumn.  “However, these honours cannot ever be a substitute for properly paying those working on the frontline. There…
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21May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government has no answers for Brexit border issues for Northern Ireland

Parliamentary news
Responding to the publication of the Northern Ireland Protocol, in which the Government has admitted as part of their Brexit plans there will be new checks on some goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Northern Ireland, Wendy Chamberlain, said: “While Gove has now admitted there will be checks on animals and food going from Britain to Northern Ireland as a result of Brexit, there is still significant detail lacking in these documents. Many key questions are still lacking answers, including those on crucial detail such as the added costs and bureaucracy for Northern Irish importers. “These plans are too little, too late. The Government are still yet to come up with any concrete solutions to the many issues thrown up by Boris Johnson’s ideological Brexit…
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21May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government has serious questions to answer over app delays

Parliamentary news
Responding to the daily press conference led by the DCMS Secretary and reports that the NHSX app will not be ready for 1 June, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Daisy Cooper, said: “With the Coronavirus crisis leaving the most vulnerable at risk, the Government continues to waste valuable time and undermine public confidence by experimenting with a new tracing app when there are already effective models it could and should use. “An app alone will not bring an end to the lockdown, but a safe and effective app could play a role in keeping people safe with a strategy to test, trace and isolate. “The Prime Minister and his Government have serious questions to answer about these delays. To restore public confidence and get a grip of the virus,…
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21May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems: Charities need a multi-billion pound package to survive

Parliamentary news
Responding to the announcement that the Government has released £150 million in funding raised through dormant bank accounts for charities, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Daisy Cooper, said: “Charities and voluntary organisations play a crucial role helping the most vulnerable in our society and will be absolutely vital as this crisis continues. But charities have seen their incomes plummet, meaning many face extinction just when we need them most. “It’s been six weeks now since the Chancellor announced funding support for charities, but it is taking far too long for that money to get to the organisations that need it. Charities across the country are warning that if the Government does not get this money to them urgently, they will simply not recover and their invaluable contributions to our communities…
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21May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

New stats show damaging impact of Priti Patel’s nasty immigration rhetoric

Parliamentary news
Responding to today’s migration figures from the Office of National Statistics, which show that the number of EU citizens coming to work in the UK has fallen to its lowest level since 2004, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “Now more than ever, we should be celebrating the enormous contributions that workers from all over the world make to our NHS and social care. We should welcome those who want to come here and be part of rebuilding Britain. But the nasty rhetoric from Priti Patel and her Conservative colleagues has made too many EU citizens feel unwelcome in the UK. “That is both shameful and hugely damaging to our economy, our society and our public services. With the NHS facing a shortage of 40,000 nurses and social care also…
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21May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government warned Councils are struggling to cope with homelessness

Parliamentary news
Responding to new figures on homelessness in England released by the Government today, Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran said: “The Coronavirus crisis is an unprecedented threat. It is leaving the most vulnerable in our communities at risk and it is our duty to ensure no one is left behind. “The scale of people who find themselves homeless is heartbreaking. Ministers must wake up, realise Councils are struggling to cope and commit funding to end this national shame once and for all. “That’s why Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to protect emergency funding for local authorities to accommodate rough sleepers and extend measures to block evictions for as long as is necessary to enable people to get back on their feet.”
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