21May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems: Tackling the climate crisis is at the heart of coronavirus recovery

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have secured cross-party support for their calls for local authorities to be empowered to enact measures that would help tackle the climate emergency as well as recover from the coronavirus crisis. The cross-party letter sent to Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick states “we cannot simply return ‘back to normal’” and that “tackling the climate emergency is at the heart of our recovery”. Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for the Climate Emergency, Energy and the Environment Wera Hobhouse initiated the letter, putting forward measures that include incentivising councils to support sustainable travel, revitalising high streets and allowing local authorities to close streets to traffic at allocated times. Following the letter, Wera Hobhouse said: “We cannot return to ‘normal’ following the Covid-19 crisis. The measures introduced by the Transport Secretary to promote the use of sustainable transport are…
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21May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must reimburse missed tuition to student nurses called up to the frontline

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have called on the government to reimburse student nurses for the tuition of their final term of teaching they have missed due to working on the frontline. The letter to Matt Hancock from Liberal Democrat MPs Layla Moran, Munira Wilson and Sarah Olney states “given the financial hardship final year nurses have faced, and the commitment they have shown to serving the NHS during this pandemic, we ask that the Government directly reimburse student nurses for their final term of tuition fees.” Following the letter, Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney said: “Many student nurses have heroically stepped up to the frontline during the coronavirus crisis. Instead of having their final term of teaching, they are working to save lives in the midst of an unprecedented global pandemic. “However, they…
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19May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems launch calls for more mental health support for health and care staff in Oldham

Borough news, Campaigns
The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to ramp up mental health support for health and care staff in Oldham to ensure “world-class” support for those tackling the virus head on. Highlighting the “deep scar” coronavirus will leave on health and care staff in Oldham, the local Liberal Democrats have put forward a package of mental health measures, including:  24/7 access to mental health support for health and social care workers, through a dedicated helplineGuarantees that health and care staff will no longer be penalised for time off due to mental or physical ill health, including when transitioning between rolesIntroduce an ‘occupational health passport’ so workers do not have to relive mental health traumas when they change jobs.Additional training to ensure there are mental health first-aiders in every health and care workforceSteps to standardise…
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19May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems lead cross party push to keep pubs in business

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are at the forefront of a cross party call to protect pubs in the face of the “unique combination of challenges” created by the Covid-19 crisis. Liberal Democrat MP Daisy Cooper, alongside MPs from the Tory, Labour, SNP, Plaid Cymru and Green parties, are calling for Ministers to ensure pubs  - a “cornerstone of British culture” - are in a position to reopen once social distancing measures are eased. The group have written to the Chancellor to demand bespoke support for the industry including calls to:  Scrap the £51,000 Rateable Value cap for pubs, allowing pubs to access the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund.Stop pubco landlords from charging rent to their tenants through the crisis.Extend the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for the hospitality sector for the duration of…
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19May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must increase testing capacity to maintain credibility

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports that everyone over age of five in the UK with symptoms can now be tested for coronavirus, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “The coronavirus crisis is leaving the most vulnerable at risk. Thousands of families will face financial hardship and people are rightly worried about their loved ones. “The move towards testing everyone over the age of five with symptoms is welcome. However, Ministers must explain why the level of testing is still so low compared to some countries, what is being done to increase capacity, particularly in care homes, and to speed up processing of results. “We must ensure no one is left behind as we tackle this cruel virus. We cannot afford to see Ministers throw away valuable time, as we have seen…
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19May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must not be allowed to forget unacceptable five week wait for UC

Parliamentary news
Responding to ONS statistics out today which reveal a rise in unemployment and a six fold increase in the number of people claiming unemployment benefit, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “The Coronavirus crisis is leaving the most vulnerable at risk. Thousands of families face financial hardship and people are rightly worried.  “The furlough scheme has rightly helped protect jobs but there are still millions of people that need help. That’s why Liberal Democrats are urging the Government to prevent further redundancies by extending income support for self-employed workers. “Ministers must also not be allowed to forget the unacceptable five week wait for universal credit support. The Government must end this wait by raising benefit rates, abolishing sanctions and turning day-one Universal Credit loans into grants.”
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19May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must get a grip on coronavirus crisis to prevent further deaths

Parliamentary news
Responding to the figures published by the ONS showing that there have been more than 44,000 coronavirus-related deaths in the UK, Liberal Democrat Health, Wellbeing and Social Care spokesperson, Munira Wilson, said: “Hearing that the number or coronavirus-related deaths is now more than 44,000, including 9,980 deaths which took place in care homes in England and Wales, the British public will rightly be appalled.  “The Government has failed to protect some of the most vulnerable people in our society from coronavirus. For Ministers to keep trying to claim they put a 'protective ring' around care homes is not only false, but will be regarded by many as only adding further insult to all those grieving the loss of a loved one. “Government Ministers must now be frank with the British…
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18May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems launch calls for more mental health support for health and care staff

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are today calling on the Government to ramp up mental health support for health and care staff to ensure “world-class” support for those tackling the virus head on.  Highlighting the “deep scar” coronavirus will leave on health and care staff, the party have put forward a package of mental health measures designed for rapid roll-out across the NHS and care sectors, including:  24/7 access to mental health support for health and social care workers, through a dedicated helplineGuarantees that health and care staff will no longer be penalised for time off due to mental or physical ill health by scrapping the Bradford scoring system and other HR practices that can create a culture of presenteeismIntroduce an ‘occupational health passport’ so workers do not have to relive mental health traumas if or…
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17May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Govt approach to tracing ‘totally inadequate’

Parliamentary news
Responding to Michael Gove's appearance on Sophy Ridge this morning, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “The Liberal Democrats have been calling for a comprehensive test, trace and isolate strategy from early in the crisis and like so many have been frustrated by the slowness in Ministers' actions.  “Yet the Government's latest approach on tracing is totally inadequate. The experience in other countries suggests we will need more than 18,000 people to undertake the tracing work and the failure of Whitehall Ministers to engage with communities to deliver an effective tracing strategy is lamentable.  “Ministers must listen to others on tracing given their testing strategy has been so poorly delivered. Even now, the UK’s testing capacity, in particular the speed of testing, and the availability of protective equipment…
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17May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must step up provision for vulnerable children

Parliamentary news
The IFS have today published a report revealing that children from better-off households are spending 30% more time each day on educational activities than are children from the poorest fifth of households. Responding to the widening disadvantage gap between children during the coronavirus crisis, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Layla Moran said: “The Liberal Democrats have been clear that we cannot fix the disadvantage gap without also addressing the looming crisis amongst our vulnerable children. The Government must set up an emergency taskforce to coordinate its response, and for out-of-work supply teachers and recently retired teachers to be recruited to help identify and help the kids most in need. “Too many children still do not have access to the internet and their own devices, and there is huge variation in practice. To halt an ever growing…
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