01Jun 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Ed Davey’s Platinum Jubilee message

Ed Davey’s Platinum Jubilee message

Parliamentary news
Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey has joined tributes paid to the Queen on the Platinum Jubilee. Ed Davey said: “I would like to pay tribute to Her Majesty's remarkable reign which has been the bedrock of our country for the past 70 years. The Queen has led our country through both good and challenging times, and for that we owe Her Majesty a great gratitude. “One of the particular joys of any royal Jubilee is seeing how it brings people together. In every corner of our country from Caithness to Cornwall, communities will be coming together this weekend - which will be extra special, given how we weren’t able to gather during the pandemic. “So whether for a concert, street party or parade, I hope we can all…
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31May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Travel chaos: “Missing in action” Shapps must hold daily press conference

Travel chaos: “Missing in action” Shapps must hold daily press conference

Parliamentary news
Grant Shapps has been blasted for going “missing in action” as Britain’s airports grind to a halt, with the Liberal Democrats calling for the Transport Secretary to hold a daily press conference to update the public on travel chaos. The party has called for Shapps to hold a daily briefing which would update on the latest situation at terminals up and down the country. He would be expected to outline steps that the Government is taking to work towards a resolution, as well as giving advice to travellers. The Lib Dems are demanding that Shapps apologises to the public for failing to resolve the situation sooner with thousands of families already caught up in chaotic scenes at airports. Yesterday, the party’s transport spokesperson called for the Government to convene a…
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30May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
British drivers paying more taxes on petrol even after fuel duty cut

British drivers paying more taxes on petrol even after fuel duty cut

Parliamentary news
Drivers shelling out £44 per tank on taxes as petrol prices soarBrits paying more in taxes per tank than most European countriesNew poll finds one in two blame government for petrol price rises British drivers are paying £44 in taxes on petrol when filling up their car, new figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats have revealed. The figures also show that motorists in the UK are forking out more in taxes per tank for petrol than most other European countries, including Ireland, Italy and Spain. Meanwhile diesel drivers are paying over £45 a taxes per tank, more than anywhere else in Europe. Brits paid 80p a litre in taxes on unleaded petrol in April 2022 as prices continue to soar, the analysis shows. It means for a typical car with…
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30May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Sunak treating unpaid carers with “disdain” amid £193m cut to support

Sunak treating unpaid carers with “disdain” amid £193m cut to support

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has accused Rishi Sunak of treating family carers with “disdain,” after they were left out of the government’s cost of living package. The Carer’s Allowance was excluded from the list of benefits qualifying for additional support under the plans set out by the Chancellor yesterday. It comes as new analysis by the Liberal Democrats shows unpaid carers are facing a cut to the Carer’s Allowance of £207 each this year once soaring inflation is factored in. It means the country’s one million unpaid carers receiving the Carer's Allowance are facing a combined hit of £193 million this year. The Government is increasing Carer’s Allowance by 3.1% from £67.60 a week to £69.70, or an increase of just 30p a day, despite inflation rocketing to 9%…
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30May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Sue Gray report: Release emails on any Number 10 meddling

Sue Gray report: Release emails on any Number 10 meddling

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have called for the records of correspondence between Downing Street and Sue Gray over her inquiry to be made public, including emails, letters and messages. It comes amid reports Number 10 put pressure on Sue Gray to water down the report and omit key names and details. The Liberal Democrats also said any correspondence should be handed over to the Privileges Committee investigation into Boris Johnson lying to Parliament. Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper said: "Brandon Lewis' half-hearted denial that Downing Street tried to water down the Sue Gray report simply isn't good enough. "Boris Johnson has lied time and again to try and cover up his law-breaking parties and pull the wool over people's eyes. "We can't trust a word he or his Conservative colleagues…
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30May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Patients rushed through GP appointments in “postcode lottery”

Patients rushed through GP appointments in “postcode lottery”

Parliamentary news
Well over a quarter of GP appointments are taking less than five minutes in some parts of the country, new analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed, raising fears that many patients are not being seen for long enough to properly assess them. The Liberal Democrats said the figures showed a “stark postcode lottery” with people in some areas struggling for weeks to get an appointment only to be rushed through in a matter of minutes. NHS figures show that across England as a whole, around one in five (22%) of the 16.6 million GP appointments in April lasted five minutes or less. Only half of appointments across the country lasted longer than 10 minutes. However, in some areas the numbers of GP patients being rushed through rapid appointments was…
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26May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Levy lite: Windfall tax could have raised £6 billion more

Levy lite: Windfall tax could have raised £6 billion more

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have branded Rishi Sunak’s windfall tax as a “levy lite,” after analysis shows it could have raised more than double the amount if it was tougher and implemented earlier. The Liberal Democrats were the first party to propose a windfall tax last October. Under the party’s plans for a tougher windfall tax, a total of £11 billion would have been raised, including cash that could have helped families through last winter. That compares to just £5 billion being raised under Rishi Sunak’s proposed levy. This is equivalent to each UK household losing out on over £200 because the Chancellor’s windfall tax was too weak and too late. Responding to Rishi Sunak’s u-turn on taxing oil and gas companies, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said: "This…
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24May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
UC uplift: Government heartless as the cost of living crunch bites

UC uplift: Government heartless as the cost of living crunch bites

Parliamentary news
After Simon Clarke ruling out reinstating the Universal Credit uplift , Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions Spokesperson Wendy Chamberlain MP said: “Rocketing inflation and bills are leaving families facing savage cuts to their incomes this year, but still ministers are refusing to act. “This heartless approach will condemn thousands more children to growing up in poverty as the cost of living crunch bites. "It shows just how out of touch this Conservative government is with all those struggling to get by. "Ministers must announce an emergency budget now and reinstate the £20 uplift to Universal Credit. Every day they fail to act means more families being pushed into debt and struggling to put food on the table."
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24May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Partygate photos: IOPC must investigate Met on why PM not fined

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have written to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, following the publication of photographs of the Prime Minister drinking at a Downing Street gathering on 13 November 2020. Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper called on the watchdog to look into why the Met Police did not fine the Prime Minister for his presence at the gathering, despite being pictured in apparent breach of Covid laws. Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper said: “The Met Police need to explain why Boris Johnson wasn’t fined for this event, despite being pictured in an apparent breach of the rules. “If anyone else had been pictured at a party like this during lockdown, surely this would have been enough evidence for them to be fined. “It does seem that there…
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22May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Dentist shortage “time bomb” revealed as one in eight nearing retirement

Dentist shortage “time bomb” revealed as one in eight nearing retirement

Parliamentary news
One in eight (13%) NHS dentists are approaching retirement, at a time when NHS dental appointments are scarceTop 10 worst areas for NHS dentist retirement timebomb includes rural areas cut off from health servicesLiberal Democrats have warned of a NHS dentist “retirement time bomb” facing local communities One in eight NHS dentists are approaching retirement, research by the House of Commons Library commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed. The party warned the figures show the dentist shortage crisis could soon get worse, especially for rural communities. The data reveals that 3,416 dentists who carry out NHS work in England are over 55 years old and therefore close to retirement. This amounts to 14% of the 23,733 dentists carrying out NHS activity in 2020/21. The figures also show the number…
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