News – Page 133 – Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

11Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Economic contribution of UK-Japan trade deal will be “drop in the ocean”

Responding to news that the UK has signed a new trade deal with Japan, Liberal Democrat Trade Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “The Government’s deal with Japan appears to be little more than a less ambitious version of the trade agreement between Japan and the EU. The Conservatives cannot be allowed to present it as a Brexit victory. “The agreement’s economic contribution will be a drop in the ocean. Government has failed to leverage any meaningful benefit from its independent trade policy, whilst a deal protecting our EU trade is nowhere in sight. There couldn’t be a more reckless approach to international trade. “Boris Johnson must immediately get his priorities right and stop posturing, to ensure a close relationship with our most critical economic partner – Europe – or we risk…

11Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

COVID-19 testing falling dangerously short of expectations

Parliamentary news

Responding to reports that the COVID-19 R rate has risen above 1 across the UK, Liberal Democrat Health, Wellbeing and Social Care Spokesperson Munira Wilson MP said: “People will be rightly alarmed by these figures. No one wants to see a second wave of this dreadful virus. "A robust system to test, trace and isolate every coronavirus case remains essential to keep people safe as we open up our economy and society more and more. The current situation - with many people unable to access testing at all - continues to fall dangerously short of expectations. "If we are to prevent a second wave we need rapid action to bring our test and trace system up to scratch, as well as absolute clarity in public health messaging. If the Government can't get…

10Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems call out PM’s “brazen hypocrisy” on rule of law

Parliamentary news

The Liberal Democrats have demanded the Prime Minister explain his “brazen hypocrisy” given his Government's readiness to break international law with the Internal Market Bill, while expecting “everybody in this country to obey the law”. The accusation follows an exchange at Prime Minister’s Questions where Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson asked: “If Ministers think it is acceptable for this Government to not obey the law, how on earth can the Prime Minister expect the public at home to do so?” Despite confirmation yesterday from the Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis that the proposed Northern Ireland customs legislation “does break international law”, the Prime Minister told the House of Commons that he expects “everybody in this country to obey the law”. The Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham has called on the…

10Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems call on Government to extend furlough to boost economic recovery

Parliamentary news

The Liberal Democrats have called on the Government to extend the furlough scheme “for all those who need it” until the end of June 2021, to avoid mass unemployment and accelerate the UK’s economic recovery. Speaking in Parliament, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine MP urged the Government to extend the furlough scheme until mid-2021 as the best way to protect people’s livelihoods and to safeguard the UK’s economic recovery. Liberal Democrats have warned that the furlough bridge currently doesn’t lead anywhere, with thousands already facing redundancy. As well as extending the furlough scheme, the Party is calling on the Government to invest in a Green Recovery Plan to create new jobs for the future. Speaking after the debate in the House of Commons, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine…

10Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must make Covid test available to all that need one

Parliamentary news

Responding to the press conference by the Prime Minister, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “The Government is making the right decision to strengthen the coronavirus guidelines in England. Clearly rapid testing by spring would be a welcome advancement. “However, the Government must take immediate action to increase the level of testing available right now. It is simply not acceptable that people are being asked to travel for several hours for a test, or are unable to book a test at all. “Ministers must also put forward financial plans for people and businesses that continue to be heavily affected. As the Coronavirus will continue to force many businesses and self employed to stop working, thousands of jobs are at risk. "The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government…

09Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems condemn Government for “destroying” UK reputation on world stage

Parliamentary news

Responding to comments from the Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis that the proposed Northern Ireland customs rules legislation will “break international law”, Liberal Democrat Northern Ireland Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said: “The UK Government should focus on making laws, not breaking laws. But the Northern Ireland Secretary's admission that the Conservative Government stands ready to break international law shows just how far we have fallen under Boris Johnson. “His Government are tearing up the UK's proud history of promoting the rule of law and in the process destroying our reputation on the world stage. It is unforgivable. "The Liberal Democrats unequivocally condemn this reckless approach."

08Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Latest resignation shows damaging consequences of PM’s Brexit approach

Parliamentary news

Responding to news that Sir Jonathan Jones, head of the UK Government’s legal department, has resigned following the Government's decision to introduce legislation which would undermine key aspects of the Withdrawal Agreement, Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “The head of the Government’s legal department quitting over Boris Johnson’s approach to Brexit should signal how serious a situation this is. “For Johnson to think it is acceptable to row back on international agreements and assurances made to Northern Ireland shows he has no respect for international law or the UK's obligations. “How can the UK expect other countries, like China, to respect the international treaties we hold with them if we don’t do the same when it comes to the Withdrawal Agreement? “Any Government figure of any integrity would be…

08Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Not every disability is visible

Borough news

The Oldham Liberal Democrats are backing a national campaign to raise public awareness that not everyone who uses an accessible public toilet has a visible disability. The campaign by the charity Crohn’s and Colitis UK encourages venues with such toilets to install special signage with the logo ‘Not every disability is visible’. Crompton Councillor Louie Hamblett, who is the Shadow Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, is raising this issue in a motion to the next meeting of the full Council (September 9). He said: “This motion is timely. The requirement to wear face coverings in shops and on public transport has started to raise public awareness that people can be exempted from their use because of a hidden disability. Accessible toilets, often opened using a RADAR key, are…

08Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Creation of Brownfield Fund welcome, but will fail to ‘scratch the surface’

Borough news

The Oldham Liberal Democrats have welcomed the creation of a so called new £400 million Brownfield Land fund, from which £81.1 million will be made available to the 10 Greater Manchester Authorities over the next five years, but say the overall investment ‘won’t scratch the surface’ when compared to the cost of remediating former industrial land in our City Region to make it fit for housing. Alongside publishing a new White Paper ‘Planning for the Future’ last month, the Conservative Government restated its so-called commitment to building new homes on brownfield sites first; an approach the Oldham Liberal Democrats have been campaigning for years. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, Liberal Democrat Group Leader, explained: “According to Department of Trade figures, the UK has approximately 1,000,000 acres of contaminated land, much of…

08Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Democracy please – Labour hypocrisy over planning issues

Borough news

This Wednesday (9 Sept), Oldham Council will be debating a motion calling for planning to have ‘democratic control at its heart’ in response to a Conservative Governments proposal to abolish Planning Committees, but to Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, says Labour would have had more credibility over this issue if they practiced what they preached. At the June 17 meeting of Oldham Council, despite the vocal objections of Liberal Democrat Councillors, the Labour Group abolished the entitlement of Ward Councillors to address the Planning Committee to speak about local applications on behalf of their constituents. Labour also agreed changes to allow planning officers to dispose of public open land more easily, and empowered officers to decide on developments of 20 homes or less without bringing them for…