Conservatives – Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

25Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Serious allegations of Islamophobia need to investigated

Responding to allegations from Nusrat Ghani MP who says her faith was raised by a Government Whip as a reason as to why she was sacked as a Minister in 2020, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader, Daisy Cooper commented: “Nusrat Ghani is incredibly brave to speak out. These very serious allegations of Islamophobia clearly need to investigated by a complaints process that is independent of the Conservative’s party machine so that she and others can have confidence that her claims won’t be swept aside. “With every passing day, the public are shocked by more and more revelations and allegations from Conservative MPs about the way their Conservative government operates. It’s time for a clear-out, starting in Number 10.”

07Dec 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Raab must apologise for Chevening party as Afghanistan fell

Parliamentary news

The Liberal Democrats have today called upon Deputy PM Dominic Raab to apologise for hosting a party at Chevening House for local Conservative activists as Afghanistan fell to the Taliban. Raab is reported to have held the party for 50 association colleagues on the 4th of September - the same time at which MPs, their offices and the Afghan Special Cases Team were working tirelessly to assist in evacuating Afghans. It comes after the testimony of whistleblower Raphael Marshall, who claims that the then Foreign Secretary delayed decision-making by inserting himself as a bureaucratic block. The Liberal Democrats have also called upon the Deputy PM to urgently update Parliament on the progress of the FCDO’s internal inquiry into the evacuation. Layla Moran MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, commented:…

06Oct 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Boris Johnson tax rises: You can’t trust the Conservatives with your money

Parliamentary news

Responding to Boris Johnson on the Andrew Marr Show refusing to rule out more tax rises at the next budget, Christine Jardine MP, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson, said: "The message to voters is clear, if you want to keep your taxes down, don't vote Conservative. "Boris Johnson has already torn up his manifesto promise on tax. Clobbering families with yet more unfair tax rises would be rubbing salt in the wound. "Taxes are up, food costs are up, energy bills are up. Yet millions in the South East still can't even fill up. "It just shows, you can't trust the Conservatives with your money."

09Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Priti Patel’s reckless handling of migrants risks lives

Parliamentary news

Responding to reports that the Government plans to send back boats carrying migrants back across the channel, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Home Affairs Alistair Carmichael MP said: “Priti Patel’s latest cruel idea shows she is not interested in saving lives. “The Government should be trying to stop people making these dangerous Channel crossings, not forcing them to try again. “The Home Secretary's recklessly ideological immigration rules risk killing off our economic recovery before it has begun. Is it too much to hope that she might spend her time attending to that instead of looking for the next dog whistle photo op?"

04May 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Public call on Conservatives to withdraw offensive leaflet

Borough news

The crass arrogance and ignorance of local Conservative candidates has caused further anger amongst the public across Oldham Borough. Local Conservatives were told in no uncertain terms that using an outdated photo of Oldham councillors - three of whom had sadly died - on leaflets distributed in early April around Crompton and High Crompton was disgusting and likely to cause distress to family members and friends of the deceased. Now, weeks later, the same image is appearing in leaflets being pushed through letterboxes by the three Conservative candidates in Saddleworth, the home of one of the deceased Councillors, popular former Mayor Derek Heffernan, who died in 2019. Mick Scholes, Liberal Democrat agent in Saddleworth South Ward is demanding that the Conservative Party immediately cease the distribution of the offensive leaflet.…

28Apr 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Ed Davey backs Bereaved Families calling for PM apology after lockdown comments

Parliamentary news

Responding to the petition from the Bereaved Families for Justice calling on the Prime Minister to apologise, Liberal Democrats Leader Ed Davey MP said: “This is a powerful initiative from the Bereaved Families. I cannot imagine how tens of thousands of families have felt seeing these appalling comments from the prime minister on the front pages of the newspapers. “The families want an apology and an immediate public inquiry, that is the very least Boris Johnson can do. “The Liberal Democrats will continue to support the bereaved families and campaign for an immediate public inquiry.”

20Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Cabinet Office investigation into Home Secretary must be published in full

Parliamentary news

The Liberal Democrats have written to the Prime Minister calling for the Cabinet Office’s investigation into the conduct of the Home Secretary to be published "in full and without further delay", as reports suggest that it has concluded she broke the ministerial code. Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said: “The allegations against the Home Secretary are extremely serious. Bullying is a destructive force with devastating consequences. We must not tolerate it anywhere in our society – and certainly not at the highest levels of Government. “The findings of the Cabinet Office investigation must be published in full as soon as possible, without political interference. “The public must have confidence that this issue is dealt with properly. There must be no stench of the Prime Minister trying to…

18Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Councillors disappointed as local Conservative leader calls 20mph restrictions “Cr*p”

Borough news, road safety

Saddleworth Liberal Democrat councillors Garth Harkness and Sam Al-Hamdani have expressed disappointment at local Conservative Leader Councillor John Hudson who said that councillors supporting a motion for 20MPH speed limits across the borough on residential roads were “talking cr*p”. Liberal Democrats proposed a motion on 4th November 2020 to seek in principle to implement a borough-wide 20 mph speed limit on residential roads. The motion was carried, however no Conservative councillors supported the motion and Councillor John Hudson was clear he did not support speed restrictions. Councillor Garth Harkness said: “The village road network in Saddleworth does not lend itself to 30MPH limits and a 20mph initiative needs to be considered. I have been campaigning for a long time with regards to 20MPH speed limits. A recent limit has been…

25Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Tories must “wake up to reality” and do the right thing on Free School Meals

Parliamentary news

Responding to comments from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, speaking on today's Andrew Marr show, suggesting that the Government will not change its position on Free School Meals, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said: “Tory Ministers must stop defending the indefensible on free school meals. We are in the midst of an unprecedented crisis, and the Conservatives have chosen to cut off a lifeline for the poorest children in the country. "Communities and businesses who have stepped up where the Government has failed shows where the true heart of this nation lies. The Conservatives must wake up to reality and do the right thing. "The Liberal Democrats will keep calling for the Conservatives to do the right thing to ensure vulnerable children do not go hungry…

12Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Wasting money on Britain’s borders just more incompetence from Johnson’s Government

Parliamentary news

Responding to the announcement of the Government's funding to help manage Britain's borders, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “The Tories’ handling of their own policy of Brexit is fast becoming as shambolic as their handling of the coronavirus pandemic. The sheer incompetence, waste of taxpayers’ money, and continual deception of the public must make this Government the worst in living memory. "The fact that even government ministers are warning about the disastrous consequences of their own border plans, not only shows how bad things are, but that there never was an 'oven ready' Brexit. "Ministers full attention should be on containing the spread of the virus and getting our society back to normal, yet they are wasting hundreds of millions on new border infrastructure. “Boris Johnson’s…