01May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems uncover ‘blindspot’ in data on COVID-19 impact on BAME communities

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have exposed the Government's failure to collect data on the ethnicity of those being tested for COVID-19, and outcomes in terms of the number of people who have tested positive for the virus, and the number who have died.Christine Jardine, Liberal Democrat Equalities spokesperson, asked the Department of Health for this key data, broken down by ethnicity. She received a response stating that that data is “not currently available in the format requested.” Christine Jardine, Liberal Democrat Equalities Spokesperson said:  “The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on BAME communities is deeply alarming. The Government must do everything in its power to understand what lies behind this worrying trend.  “It is shocking that the Government appear not to have collected data on ethnicity as part of their COVID-19 testing programme. This leaves a huge blindspot in…
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01May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems condemn Government over scrapping provisions for vulnerable children

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports that last night the Government removed the guaranteed rights of all children with a education, health and care (EHC) plan, Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Layla Moran said: “It is utterly unacceptable that children with EHCPs and their parents had about 7 hours’ notice before their right to provisions was effectively revoked. The Government should be ashamed over how it has handled this.  “At a time when Government should be doing more, they are doing less. Some will say this is pragmatic, but I am deeply concerned that already under-supported children and families are going to fall through the cracks.  “The Government must commit to the money and training needed to maintain standards. With supply teachers desperate for work and retired teachers ready and waiting to come back to help,…
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30Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must not ignore teaching staff in plans for reopening

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports that the Government will be releasing their plan on reopening schools next week, Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Layla Moran said: “Reopening schools can’t be a top-down affair, with politicians failing to consult with those who run our schools. The number and type of risks is complex and will differ from school to school - therefore it is vital the concerns of teaching staff are heard. “The Government needs to work with school leaders now, not later, to put this in place ahead of time. Only when school staff have the PPE they need, as per their risk assessment, should they be able to reopen. “I am glad that the Government have listened to calls from the Liberal Democrats and others to publish a plan for opening schools, but…
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30Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

PM must enact test, trace and isolate strategy

Parliamentary news
Responding to today's press conference, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “It’s welcome to see the Prime Minister back at work and to know we are moving past the peak. Millions of people have made that happen with their unbelievable efforts to save lives during this difficult period. “The next step out of this crisis must be a strategy of test, trace and isolate on a huge scale and it’s worrying that the UK is still far behind other countries on testing rates.  “Special efforts to protect care home residents and staff must be scaled up faster too, as the support for these vulnerable people and these amazing workers has just been far too slow.”
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30Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must focus on test, trace and isolate not arbitrary deadlines

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports that the Government may not reach the 100k test target, acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “Given the figures reported daily over the last few weeks, few will be surprised that the Government look unlikely to hit today's target. “Ultimately this is not about targets and arbitrary deadlines. This is about the fact we have millions of frontline workers who have not been tested and the that Government still seems miles away from establishing the testing and tracing infrastructure we need to safely manage the move out of lockdown. “Yesterday we saw the number of deaths reach 26,000, each one a tragedy, and the true number of deaths could be significantly higher. “The Government should be developing a proper strategy for a test, trace and isolate system immediately rather…
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29Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Home Office inaction risks COVID-19 crisis at detention centres

Parliamentary news
Following the Government's response to the Annual inspection of ‘Adults at Risk in Immigration Detention’ (2018–19), which the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration described as "disappointing", Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “Locking people up for months on end – without giving them any idea how long they’ll be detained – is clearly inhumane. It’s also expensive and unnecessary. “The Conservative Government’s refusal to act with urgency on vulnerable people in immigration detention is unacceptable. It is shameful that Ministers took nine months to publish and respond to the independent inspector’s report, and that they refused to accept even its relatively timid recommendations. “During the coronavirus pandemic, the Home Office’s inaction is even more dangerous. Given the risks of outbreaks within detention centres and zero chance of…
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29Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Revised death toll shows case for public inquiry could not be stronger

Parliamentary news
Responding to the daily press conference, with the new figures including deaths in all settings being released, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “As we finally see the Government’s revised figures of how many people have tragically lost their lives to coronavirus, the sheer scale of this human disaster is becoming clearer. Tens of thousands of people right across the country will be mourning the loss of a loved one, and not only do they deserve answers, but the Government must ensure lessons are learnt. “Yet even these new figures may not reveal the full picture and size of the disaster as calculations by analysts using data from the Office for National Statistics suggest the actual figure may be higher still.  “Whatever the truth, the case for an independent public inquiry…
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27Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government back Lib Dem calls to compensate bereaved families of NHS staff

Parliamentary news
Responding to the announcement from the Secretary of State for Health that bereaved families of NHS staff will receive compensation, Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, who first called for the measure last month, said: “This is a win for my cross-party campaign to introduce a Coronavirus Compensation Scheme, backed by The Express and The Times newspapers. I'm hugely thankful for the support received from over 60 cross-party MPs and over 8,000 members of the public. Together, we convinced the Government that this compassionate scheme is needed. “Our NHS heroes are putting their lives on the line, and we believe that their families deserve to be protected. They should know that if the worst happens, the state will help their families. It is what they need, and what they deserve. “Now, the…
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27Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Gove gambles on a deal this year no matter the cost

Parliamentary news
Responding to comments from Michael Gove about the likelihood of securing a deal with the EU before the end of June this year, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “It is deeply concerning that the Government still refuses to extend the transition period during the coronavirus crisis. “Gove says that there is a two to one chance of a deal but why is the government so happy to gamble on our future during this crisis? “Gove admitted limited progress has been made on negotiations during this round. The Government must now face up to this reality and seek an extension to the transition period. We must prioritise the safety and wellbeing of the British public over an arbitrary deadline and Brexit ideology.”
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27Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

The Liberal Democrat plan to support frontline healthcare staff and their families

Borough news, Campaigns
Councillor Howards Sykes MBE, Liberal Democrat and Opposition Leader on Oldham Council, reveals a new plan for frontline works in the National Health Service (NHS).  This is a Liberal Democrat idea that will give frontline staff an extra £29 a day.  Better PPE equipment and increased support for their families would also be provided.  The NHS is a vital part of British life, and our NHS is needed now more than ever before.  NHS frontline workers should have the same privileges as those serving on the frontline in war.  This is their war in the fight against Covid-19. It is a sad truth that some NHS staff and care staff are being put at unnecessary risk because the personal protective equipment (PPE) they need is not readily available.  This Liberal…
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