Author: Sam Al-Hamdani

Responding to the publication of the Migration Advisory Committee report which has advised against against a full points-based system for UK, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “The Conservative Government wants to impose an entirely new immigration system in less than 12 months, without any proper consultation and managed by the discredited Home Office. That is a recipe for disaster. "The Conservatives’ proposals to end free movement will make it harder for our schools and NHS to hire the teachers, nurses and doctors they need. “As the Migration Advisory Committee makes clear, these plans will make the crisis in social care even worse. They will also mean huge amounts of extra costs and bureaucracy for thousands of British businesses. No amount of spin will change that fact. “Liberal Democrats recognise…

Following reports that the exchange of key security information is at risk post Brexit, due to concerns over Britain’s record in protecting personal information, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “Our police rely heavily on co-operation with our EU partners to identify criminals and bring them to justice. It’s incredibly alarming that these government scandals threaten to undermine that co-operation, making us all less safe. “We already know that some EU countries will refuse to extradite their citizens to the UK under the European Arrest Warrant after Friday. Now there’s a real danger that our police will also lose access to EU-wide crime databases next year. “Liberal Democrats will fight to maintain these vital cross-border tools that keep us all safe. The Government must prioritise as close a security and…

Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine, who last week led calls for a review of the assisted dying law, today welcomed the Justice Secretary’s announcement that he is considering a call for evidence on changing the law. Ms Jardine said: “I am delighted that the Government appears to be listening to the growing swell of public support for a change to the law on assisted dying, which simply isn’t working. “We cannot continue with the current two-tier system, where only those who can afford the £10,000 price tag can access an assisted death in Switzerland, while those who cannot often feel they have no option but to take matters into their own hands at home. “I urge the Government to begin a thorough review of the law on assisted dying. We need a fresh public…

Responding to the Government's announcement of a "Global Talent" visa to attract top scientists, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “This announcement is nothing more than a marketing gimmick. Boris Johnson is showing that he fundamentally doesn’t understand what makes our science sector so successful. Changing the name of a visa and removing a cap that’s never been hit is not a serious plan.” “Science relies on thousands of researchers, and this announcement does nothing for the vast majority of them. If the Government is serious about championing UK science, it must prioritise continued mobility as part of our future relationship with the EU. “The Government’s new immigration system is due to come into force in less than 12 months, and we still have no idea what it…

Ahead of the first meeting of the Citizens' Assembly on climate change, set up by House of Commons Select Committees last year, Liberal Democrat Climate Action Spokesperson Wera Hobhouse said: “The climate crisis is doing irreversible damage to our planet. The UK must cut its emissions to net-zero, be it by improving how we heat our homes or cutting emissions from flying.” “This Citizens' Assembly could help the government take the difficult decisions it needs to, but the Conservatives are failing to take the climate emergency seriously.  “In the year Glasgow is hosting the COP26 climate change conference, it is shocking that the Cabinet Committee on Climate Change has yet to meet. Delay is no better than climate change denial. “Liberal Democrats support the Citizen’s Assembly and we will ensure that the Conservatives…

Responding to the new official crime statistics, released today, which show knife crime continuing to rise to a new record high, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “These statistics are heart-breaking. Far too many young people are having their lives destroyed by knives and gangs. We urgently need to break the grip of this epidemic of serious violence.” “The Conservatives’ approach has clearly failed. Their huge surge in suspicion-less Stop and Search is wasting police time and undermining crucial trust in communities, while knife crime continues to rise. “Instead of the Tories’ pointless headline-grabbing gestures, Liberal Democrats are arguing for an evidence-based approach that will actually make our communities safer. That means more police, more youth services and a proper public health approach to serious violence.”

The Liberal Democrats have launched a national lobbying campaign urging Conservative MP’s to “restore public faith in politics” and back amendments in the House of Commons to protect the rights of EU citizens and child refugees in the UK. The campaign was launched after Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords handed Boris Johnson his first parliamentary defeat since the election by passing three amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill, including on the rights of EU citizens and child refugees in the UK. The amendments will now return to the House of Commons today. Despite No 10 confirming Conservative MPs will be whipped to overturn the defeats, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine has penned an open letter to Conservative MPS urging them to “vote in line with commitments made…

Liberal Democrat peers today helped to inflict another defeat on the Conservative Government in the House of Lords, this time on a vote to protect child refugees. By 300 to 220, the House of Lords passed an amendment to the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill to maintain the rights of unaccompanied refugee children elsewhere in Europe to be reunited with their family members in the UK. This marks the fourth government defeat on the Bill, after the Lords passed three amendments yesterday: one moved by Liberal Democrat peer Jonny Oates to guarantee the rights of EU citizens living in the UK, and two to prevent Ministers from instructing lower courts to ignore legal precedent. The Bill is set to return to the House of Commons tomorrow, when the Conservative Government is expected to try to…