News – Page 125 – Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

23Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

PM’s failure to listen to scientists has made family Christmas less likely

Responding to reports that the Prime Minister's "ambition" is for people to celebrate Christmas with their families, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: “The Prime Minister failed to listen to the scientists over the past few months and, as a result, family Christmas has become less likely not more likely. “Liberal Democrats backed the experts in their call for a short sharp nationwide circuit breaker to stem the virus well ahead of Christmas and give the government time to fix the broken Test, Trace and Isolate system. “The awful truth is this government has lost control of the virus and it’s costing lives and livelihoods. People up and down the country are desperate for Boris Johnson to get of a grip of the situation well before Christmas.”

23Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems push for expansion of Hong Kong citizenship offer

Parliamentary news

A Liberal Democrat Bill to grant all Hong Kong Citizens a pathway to UK citizenship and “strengthen the UK’s historic bond with the people of Hong Kong” is scheduled to have its Second Reading debate in the House of Commons today. The Bill, tabled by Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael, Chair of the APPG on Hong Kong and Patron of Hong Kong Watch, would create a route to UK citizenship for all Hong Kongers. By expanding British National Overseas (BNO) status to all Hong Kongers, the Bill goes well beyond the Conservative Government’s current citizenship commitments, which extend only to specific groups currently eligible to claim BNO status. The Liberal Democrats have condemned the Home Office’s “deceptive” claim that the cost of a five-year visa for Hong Kongers will be…

22Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Economic support plans made “on the hoof” are failing millions

Parliamentary news

The Liberal Democrats have accused the Chancellor of "making up plans on the hoof" when it comes to financial support for businesses and workers impacted by COVID-19. Responding to the Chancellor's statement in the House of Commons today, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “Yet again the Chancellor is taken by surprise by events unfolding exactly as predicted months ago. He has utterly failed to address the gravity of the economic crisis, with people and businesses facing devastating pressure across the country. “Beyond tinkering around the edges of the Job Support Scheme and correcting some of its blatant errors, he has offered nothing for those slipping into poverty. 67% of salary is just not enough for people to get by on. The Chancellor is making up plans on the…

22Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Tracing failures shows Hancock needs to overhaul test and trace

Parliamentary news

Responding to figures released showing that the Test and Trace system has had its lowest weekly figure since the scheme began, with less than 60% of people in England reached in the week ending 14 October, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “We already knew that national contact tracing is an utter disaster – but it has now reached rock bottom. The figures released today show the test and trace system has had the lowest weekly figure of contacts traced since the scheme began back in March, not to mention the fact they're being forced to draft in untrained staff to cope with the level of rising cases. "How can the Health Secretary allow this to happen on his watch? The test, trace and isolate system…

21Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Oldham Liberal Democrats welcome Commons debate on local electricity bill

Borough news, Parliamentary news

Crompton Councillor Dave Murphy has welcomed the hugely successful adjournment debate held in the House of Commons last Wednesday (14 October) in which MPs from all parties supported the Local Electricity Bill. Councillor Murphy, with his Liberal Democrat colleague from Shaw, Chris Gloster, proposed a motion at the July 2020 meeting of Oldham Council in support of the Bill. This received cross-party support on the night making Oldham Council one of 56 Councils across the UK to endorse the Bill. The Local Electricity Bill if it becomes law will make it easier and cheaper for local companies to be set up to supply electricity generated from renewable sources to local people. Councillor Murphy said: “The present arrangements are too complicated and too costly to allow local electricity companies to compete…

21Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Common sense prevails in Diggle

Parliamentary news

Councillor Garth Harkness has succeeded in substituting common sense for an excessive proposal for parking restrictions in Diggle when the new Saddleworth School opens. As part of the plan for the approach to the school, council officers proposed a parking ban between 6am and 6pm Monday to Friday on Huddersfield Road between the school entrance road and the new car park. Councillor Garth Harkness said: “In response to comments from residents in the latest consultation, before the lockdown, I proposed to the council that waiting restriction times could be reduced in order to help with resident parking. The council still preferred the longer restriction, arguing that it would allow overnight parking. “Most people don’t leave their house at 6am and pupils don’t arrive at school then, so I challenged it…

21Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems secure Government commitment to publish test and trace agreement with police

Parliamentary news

Liberal Democrat Peer Paul Scriven has secured a commitment from Health Minister Lord Bethell to publish the agreement between the Government and police chiefs over the decision to share test and trace data. This follows the Health Secretary's refusal to make the Memorandum of Understanding public when Liberal Democrat Health and Care Spokesperson Munira Wilson asked him to just yesterday. Following the exchange, Liberal Democrat peer Lord Scriven said: “An effective test, trace and isolate system to keep people safe will only work if the public have faith in it and this means the Government must be open and honest about how it uses people’s data. "It is absolutely crucial that the Government publishes its Memorandum of Understanding with police chiefs on sharing of Test and Trace data in full, otherwise they…

21Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government faces first defeat in the Lords over Internal Market Bill

Parliamentary news

Responding to the vote on Lord Judge's motion to the Internal Market Bill in the House of Lords, with the Government being defeated by 395 votes to 169 votes, Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords Dick Newby said: “For a long time now we have known that Boris Johnson and his Ministers have little regard for the rule of law, but this Bill goes far beyond what any Prime Minister should even contemplate – let alone pursue. "How can this Government seriously expect to condemn other countries, like Russia and China, for failing to respect international law if they plan to flout it themselves when it comes to the Withdrawal Agreement? "However, there is still time to ditch the Bill and prevent it from becoming law.…

21Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat Leader’s app suggestion an “excellent idea”

Borough news

The Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, was heartened to receive a letter from the Chief Executive of Oldham Council, Dr Carolyn Wilkins OBE, endorsing his idea that the NHS Covid-19 app be made available pro-actively to all staff at the Council and staff in other public sector organisations who are issued with a smart phone for business use. Describing the suggestion as an “excellent idea”, Dr Wilkins has agreed to make the app available to Council staff and has also written to partner organisations in the Borough asking them to do the same. Dr Wilkins also plays a key role in the delivery of the national Track and Trace scheme representing local authorities. Commenting, Councillor Sykes said:…

21Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must stop playing politics with lives and livelihoods

Parliamentary news

Responding to the Prime Minister's announcement that Manchester will face tier 3 restrictions from Friday, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “The utter mess the Government has created today came as a result of a shameful plan to wipe millions of pounds of support away as a punishment. This Government is hurting some of the most vulnerable people in our society by playing politics with the lives and livelihoods of the people of Greater Manchester. “People across the country will be watching in alarm, under no illusion that the Prime Minister and the Chancellor will not be there for them to ensure they can financially survive the coming months. “Boris Johnson must swallow his pride and bring back furlough and give communities the funds they need to survive…