03May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Government “legalising littering” as one million fly-tipping incidents go unpunished

Government “legalising littering” as one million fly-tipping incidents go unpunished

Parliamentary news
Up to one million fly-tipping incidents go unpunishedNumber of prosecutions more than halves, and average court fine just £335Lib Dems call on government to increase fines to raise £1.3 million “fly-tipping fighting fund” The Liberal Democrats have accused the Conservative government of effectively "legalising littering," after shocking figures revealed that up to a million fly-tipping incidents went unpunished in 2020-21. 1.13 million fly-tipping incidents were recorded by local authorities in England in 2020-21, a 16% increase on the previous year. However, the number of Fixed Penalty Notices issued fell by 24%, while the number of prosecutions collapsed by more than 50%. In total, just 96,628 enforcement actions were taken beyond an initial investigation and a warning letter. That leaves up to 1 million cases going unpunished in 2020-21. Only 57,621…
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03May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
GP postcode lottery worsens with just one family doctor per 2,200 patients

GP postcode lottery worsens with just one family doctor per 2,200 patients

Parliamentary news
The number of patients per GP across England has grown to over 2,200, shocking new figures have revealed, as some areas suffer from a growing postcode lottery. The analysis by the Liberal Democrats, based on research from the House of Commons Library, has exposed the growing shortage of family doctors that is leaving people in many areas struggling to get appointments. Since June 2017, the number of fully qualified GPs excluding trainees has fallen by 1,343, despite a government promise to hire an extra 6,000 GPs by 2024. Over the same period, the number of registered patients has soared by over 3.1 million, as growing demand puts pressure on overstretched local health services. It means the number of patients per GP has risen from 2,007 in June 2017 to 2,217…
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03May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Two million pensioners like Elsie left without heating bill support

Two million pensioners like Elsie left without heating bill support

Parliamentary news
19% of households are in Council Tax Bands E-H (4.7 million households).There are 11.5 million pensioners in the UK. An estimated 2.1 million of these (19%) live in band E or lower homes.These people are missing out on £150 rebate - Liberal Democrats slam “national scandal” of pensioners being left out in the cold by out of touch Government. More than two million pensioners are being shunned by the Government’s council tax rebate, estimates by the Liberal Democrats can reveal. The shocking revelation comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson was told this morning of the story of 77-year-old Elsie, who eats one meal a day and stays on the bus all day to stay warm and avoid using energy at home. The Conservatives’ lack of support to elderly pensioners during…
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02May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
New stats show 1.8 million crimes went unsolved in 2021

New stats show 1.8 million crimes went unsolved in 2021

Parliamentary news
Four in ten crimes went unsolved by the police in 2021, new official figures show, with an average of 5,000 unsolved crimes every day. New figures from the Office for National Statistics show that overall crime was 18% higher in 2021 compared with 2019, driven by a 54% increase in fraud and computer misuse. Liberal Democrat analysis of new Home Office figures show that 1.8 million cases were closed by the police in 2021 without a suspect even being identified – 39% of all cases closed. Responding to the statistics, Liberal Democrats Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said: “Crime is soaring on the Conservatives’ watch. They are failing our communities, making people less safe, and letting far too many criminals get away with it. “Boris Johnson and Priti Patel…
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02May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Average family facing £5,500 tax hike over next decade under Conservatives

Average family facing £5,500 tax hike over next decade under Conservatives

Parliamentary news
The average family is facing a £5,550 tax hike over the next decade as a result of Conservative tax rises, new research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed. The Liberal Democrats are calling on Boris Johnson to scrap the tax hikes and bring in an emergency tax cut in the Queen’s Speech, to help families struggling with the cost of living crisis. The research by the House of Commons Library finds that even after Rishi Sunak’s promised cut to income tax in 2024, families will still be left poorer by around £600 a year. The analysis is based on a typical household with two earners on a median salary of £33,790. It looks at the total impact of the tax changes announced by the Conservatives since 2021, including the…
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27Apr 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Ban water company bosses’ bonuses until sewage discharges end say local Liberal Democrats

Ban water company bosses’ bonuses until sewage discharges end say local Liberal Democrats

Borough news, environment, health and social care, Parliamentary news
Water company bosses were awarded £27 million in bonuses while pumping raw sewage into England’s waterways over 1,000 times a day. Oldham Liberal Democrats demand a “sewage bonus ban” to ban future bonuses until sewage dumps stop. England’s water company bosses have awarded themselves almost £27 million in bonuses over the past two years despite pumping out raw sewage into waterways 1,000 times a day, the Liberal Democrats have revealed. Analysis of Companies House records by the Liberal Democrats shows that executives at England’s water and sewage companies were paid £48 million in 2020 and 2021, including £27.6 million in bonuses, benefits and incentives. The eye-watering executive pay packets and company profits were made despite the Environment Agency reporting nearly 772,000 sewage dumping events taking place in 2020 and 2021…
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27Apr 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Outgoing NFU Deputy President joins Lib Dems

Outgoing NFU Deputy President joins Lib Dems

Parliamentary news
Today the outgoing Deputy President of the National Farmers Union (NFU) has announced he has joined the Liberal Democrats. Stuart Roberts recently finished his high profile role at the NFU to become politically active. He will join Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey today visiting an agriculture college in Hampshire. Well-known vet and Liberal Democrat candidate for Winchester Danny Chambers will also join them. Stuart, who owns and manages a farm in Hertfordshire, has held numerous senior positions in the NFU and the food and farming industry. He was previously a Conservative Councillor in Hertfordshire but has joined a growing number of farmers who are no longer supporting the Conservative party. Today’s announcement follows last year’s political earthquake in North Shropshire where local farming communities voted Liberal Democrat for the first…
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27Apr 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Figures reveal Conservatives breaking police pledge as recruitment stalls

Figures reveal Conservatives breaking police pledge as recruitment stalls

Borough news, Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have slammed the Conservatives for being soft on crime, as new official figures show they are failing on their manifesto pledge to recruit 20,000 more police officers. A total of 4,814 extra officers were recruited in the second year of the uplift, well short of the Government’s 6,000 target. It means the recruitment rate would have to increase by a third, to 6,424 extra officers in the final year of the policy to meet the target of 20,000 by March 2023. Senior police chiefs are starting to warn that the target won’t be met. Acting Met Commissioner Stephen House told MPs last week that “We are experiencing issues in the Met and I think other large forces are starting to experience recruiting challenges.” Responding to the figures,…
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27Apr 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Ed Davey demands rural cost of living rescue package including heating oil price cap

Ed Davey demands rural cost of living rescue package including heating oil price cap

Borough news, Parliamentary news
Lib Dems call for rescue package for struggling families in rural areasConservatives accused of leaving rural communities “out in the cold” after refusing to cap price of heating oilTop 25 areas most reliant on heating oil revealed The Liberal Democrats have demanded a rural cost of living rescue package, including a cap on heating oil prices to help struggling families off the gas grid. The party warned that the Conservatives are leaving rural communities “out in the cold” by refusing to help with soaring bills. Rural communities are bearing the brunt of the cost of living crisis with soaring heating bills, petrol prices and food costs all hitting struggling families. The rural cost of living rescue package would include a cap on heating oil costs to support the estimated 1.5…
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25Apr 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Conservative MPs soft on the law-breaker in Number Ten

Conservative MPs soft on the law-breaker in Number Ten

Parliamentary news
After confirmation that there will be an inquiry into whether the Prime Minister misled Parliament over lockdown parties, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said: “Boris Johnson’s lies and law-breaking are groundbreaking. He’s not only the first Prime Minister to have been given a criminal penalty by the police while in office, but also the first to be referred for a parliamentary inquiry for lying. “By keeping the Prime Minister in his job, Conservative MPs have made themselves complicit in his law-breaking and his lies. There is no need to let this drag on for more weeks – they should sack Johnson now. “Conservative MPs love to claim others are soft on crime, but the truth is they’re being soft on the law-breaker right in front of them in…
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