27Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems lead cross-party call for urgent support for airlines in return for climate action

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are leading a cross-party effort to secure Government agreement for an economic package to support the UK’s airlines in return to commitments to tackle the climate emergency.  Writing to the Chancellor, the cross-party group of parliamentarians have warned that without government support future fares may raise while “tens of thousands more will lose their jobs through no fault of their own.” MPs from across the political spectrum have signed the letter and agreed “if public money is used to save them, they must be required by law to do more to tackle climate change.” Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson, Sarah Olney, coordinated the letter. She said: “The Coronavirus crisis is an unprecedented threat. Thousands of families will face financial hardship, including many who rely on employment in the…
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27Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems lead cross-party call for clarity on coronavirus loan scheme

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are leading a cross-party call for the Business Secretary to provide clearer guidance to lenders regarding Business Interruption Loans, following reports that lenders have been slow to approve loans to struggling businesses due to extensive due diligence processes. Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse has been joined by over 20 MPs from across the political spectrum in writing to the Business Secretary to call for the additional guidance. The letter asks that the Government sets out the "minimum level of due diligence required" to underwrite loans, criteria which would enable lenders to process applications at a faster pace. This would help to ensure business owners benefit from the scheme as soon as possible. Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, said: “Business Interruption Loans offer a much-needed lifeline…
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24Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Saddleworth plan ignored with bus cuts

Borough news, Campaigns
Despite strong and repeated representations from Saddleworth Liberal Democrats, Transport for Greater Manchester have gone ahead with bus cuts to subsidised bus services in Saddleworth. The 353, 354 & 355 have been scrapped and partially replaced by 356 Saddleworth Rambler which no longer serves Greenfield Station. Instead it is rerouted from Uppermill along Bridge Street, Carr Lane, Queensway, Wellington Road, Chew Valley Road, Shaw Hall Bank Road, Church Road and High Grove Road to Mossley Road and then to Top Mossley and Ashton Liberal Democrat Councillor for Saddleworth North Garth Harkness said: “Important areas will now have no service, and the new links are poor. I raised concerns about this but I was given reassurances that it would not be as bad as we thought. Instead it is worse as…
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23Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must scale up testing and tracing

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Health Secretary’s press conference where he announced a move towards tests for all essential workers, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “NHS and social care workers are protecting us and putting themselves on the line every single day. They need us to protect them.  “The move towards tests for all essential workers is a welcome step, but the Government should have already started tracing weeks ago. Ministers must also face up to why the UK is still using less than half its coronavirus testing capacity. “Our priority must be protecting the most vulnerable in our society. We can only do that with even larger numbers of people working on tracing, including using local tracing experts, and setting out plans to support people as they isolate."
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23Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems lead cross-party call for Covid-19 grants to help students in difficulty

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are leading a cross-party call urging the Government to set up emergency Coronavirus Maintenance Grants for students from low-income backgrounds who are struggling as a result of the pandemic. Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson, who is leading the campaign, warned students from low-income backgrounds are not able to claim Universal credit but are among the most “economically vulnerable in society during this crisis, and they do not have their parents to fall back on.” MPs representing university towns from across the political spectrum have signed a letter to the Chancellor which also highlights that businesses relying on temporary student labour will find it far easier to hire a new cohort of students to fill vacancies when the shops, pubs and restaurants reopen, rather than furlough students…
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23Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Concerns over impact of school closures for most disadvantaged pupils

Borough news
Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Liberal Democrat and Opposition Leader Oldham Council, is concerned over the worrying slump in school performance in Oldham Borough.  Earlier this year before the outbreak of Coronavirus (Covid-19), the Department for Education has published school performance tables based on last summer's GCSEs results (2019).  The tables show that nine out of 16 Oldham schools were ‘below average’.  A further two schools were noted as being simply ‘average’ in their performance.  Councillor Sykes wants additional funding and says the way to get that help is not to mask the problems.  Pupils will now find it even harder to achieve academically and vocationally because of the outbreak of Covid-19 and the closure of schools. “Many teachers and other staff in schools are going more than the extra mile…
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23Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrats call to safely reopen Oldham’s waste site

Borough news
Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Liberal Democrat and Opposition Leader Oldham Council, has written to Oldham Council Bosses to reopen local waste sites in Oldham Borough. “Other authorities across the UK are still providing these services.  Wigan Borough Council has now reopened its refuse facilities why can the rest of Greater Manchester (GM) Councils do the same,” asks Councillor Sykes. He wants Oldham Council to follow suit in a safe and orderly manner.  These calls have come following a month of lockdown closures from the start of the Coronavirus Pandemic.  There has also been a severe spike in fly tipping across the region. “If it is good enough for Wigan then it is good enough for Oldham, stated Councillor Sykes.  “I really do hope these pleas are listened to and actioned…
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23Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Building a future for our youth in a post-virus world

Borough news, Campaigns
Councillor Howard Sykes MBE is calling for more youth services in our communities – both youth workers and youth centres.  The Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Oldham Borough Council highlighted work done by parliament on knife crime.  Studies by a group of MPs showed that schools and youth centres play a central role in keeping children and young people safe.  These services should be granted necessary funding.  Local Liberal Democrat Councillors in Shaw and Crompton have repeatedly invested their limited local funds in youth services to offset government cuts. Currently, UK schools are underfunded.  Youth services have declined by 69% over the last decade.  On average councils have reduced spending on services such as social clubs and youth workers by 40%.  Some Authorities have seen funding plummet by 91% over…
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23Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems condemn Government for coronavirus crisis in prisons

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrat Peer and former Deputy First Minister for Wales, Lord German, will be leading a debate in the Houses of Parliament to question the Government over their inaction in stopping the spread of coronavirus across prisons in England and Wales.Mike German, who is the Party’s Spokesperson for Prison Reform in the House of Lords, is set to raise the issue of overcrowding in prisons and overstretched prisons staff across England and Wales, making them “a perfect crucible” for coronavirus to spread. Speaking ahead of his debate, Mike German said: “Throughout the coronavirus crisis, the Liberal Democrats have repeatedly warned the Government about the dangers posed by our already overstretched prisons and prisons staff.  The fact that conditions in our prisons were so already poor has made them a perfect crucible for the disease.…
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23Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Home Secretary urged to tackle hate crime towards Chinese community

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have called on the Home Secretary to set out what additional steps the Government is taking to prevent coronavirus-related hate crimes towards the Chinese community. The call comes amid concerns about incidents of racially-motivated hate crimes against people in the Chinese community during the coronavirus pandemic, including a shocking 900% increase in content of that nature on Twitter. In a letter to the Home Secretary from Christine Jardine MP, Daisy Cooper MP and Isabelle Parasram, Vice President of the Liberal Democrats, the Liberal Democrats have urged the Home Secretary to use her public platforms to “condemn this pernicious new form of racism.” Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said:  “Everyone should be free to live their lives without fear of discrimination, abuse or violence. Reports of…
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