13Jun 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Vagrancy Act: Moran condemns ‘duplicitous’ proposal to bring back Act

Vagrancy Act: Moran condemns ‘duplicitous’ proposal to bring back Act

Parliamentary news
Layla Moran, Lib Dem MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, has slammed the Government as ‘duplicitous’ for including a clause in the new Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill which would allow for the reintroduction of the recently repealed Vagrancy Act. The clause allows for the Secretary of State for DLUHC to re-criminalise rough sleeping, despite the House of Commons voting to repeal the Vagrancy Act earlier this year. The Government claims that this is ‘placeholder text’ which will be amended at the Committee Stage of the Bill, but has not given assurances that rough sleepers will be protected from the return of this legislation. The repeal of the Vagrancy Act was the culmination of a campaign which began in 2018 for Layla, after it was brought to her attention by…
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17May 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Conservatives trashing Britain’s reputation as a development superpower

Conservatives trashing Britain’s reputation as a development superpower

Parliamentary news
Responding to the release of the International Development Strategy, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran MP said: “The Conservative Government is trying to run and hide from the devastating impact of their aid cuts. The callous decision to slash aid spending is so scarcely mentioned in the Strategy it’s like they’re pretending it doesn’t exist. “The Foreign Secretary won’t even appear before Parliament to announce this new Strategy - because she knows that she will face difficult questions on how this broken Conservative promise is harming the most vulnerable around the world.” “The Conservatives’ true strategy on international development is demonstrated by their actions, not their words. Development has been relegated from the Cabinet table, the aid budget has been slashed, and the UK’s proud reputation as a development…
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01Apr 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Revealed: 8 Russian nationals on Golden Visas sanctioned by UK Government

Revealed: 8 Russian nationals on Golden Visas sanctioned by UK Government

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Government admitting that eight Russian nationals who came to the UK on Golden Visas have been sanctioned, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran MP said: “For too long the Government has rolled out the red carpet for Putin’s cronies. These people should never have been able to buy their way into the UK with ill-gotten wealth. "We now need to know how many others who were given golden visas owe their wealth to Putin's regime, and why the Government hasn't sanctioned them too. Ministers must stop dragging their feet and finally publish the review into these visas."
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22Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Oligarch ditches UK mansions after government sanctions delay

Oligarch ditches UK mansions after government sanctions delay

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports that Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov was able to offload his UK properties before UK sanctions came into effect, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran MP said: “The Conservative Government’s dither and delay on sanctions has meant that Putin’s cronies have once again gotten away with it. It took Ministers weeks to put the proper sanctions into place - meanwhile, it looks like oligarchs were fire-selling their assets all that time. “Where oligarchs have transferred their holdings to their families, those relatives must be immediately sanctioned. Putin’s cronies’ properties and assets in the UK should now be seized - funding an oligarch tax to help people with spiralling energy bills.”
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15Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Economic Crime Bill: Lib Dems close ‘Oligarch Loophole’

Economic Crime Bill: Lib Dems close ‘Oligarch Loophole’

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have closed a major "oligarch loophole" in the Economic Crime Bill after the Government accepted their crucial amendment. Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran and Liberal Democrat Peer Lord Chris Fox both tabled an amendment to the legislation which sought to close a backdoor route for oligarchs to avoid meeting crucial anti-money laundering requirements contained within the Bill. The Bill establishes a register of beneficial ownership for overseas entities. However, as originally drafted, it gives the Government the power to grant individuals - which could include Kremlin-linked oligarchs - an exemption from its registration requirements on the broad basis of “the interests of the economic wellbeing of the United Kingdom”. The Liberal Democrats warned that this loophole could give ‘carte blanche’ to oligarchs and their enablers to aggressively…
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14Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Russia Sanctions: UK moving at a snail’s pace

Russia Sanctions: UK moving at a snail’s pace

Parliamentary news
Responding to the announcement of sanctions against 386 members of the Russian Duma, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran MP said: "Targetting these Duma members is all well and good, but ultimately we’re sanctioning them for a decision they took 18 days ago. "We’re moving at a snail’s pace. Meanwhile, in that time, we’ve only sanctioned 18 oligarchs. One oligarch a day is nowhere near enough. "Hundreds of Putin’s cronies are still getting away with it. Every second wasted is another opportunity for them to take off in their private jets and flee to a safe haven. We need to sanction the lot and seize their assets - now."
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14Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Lib Dems adopt most ambitious policy on Ukrainian refugees of any major UK party

Lib Dems adopt most ambitious policy on Ukrainian refugees of any major UK party

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have adopted the most ambitious policy towards Ukrainian refugees of any major UK political party, warning the government’s current approach is a “chaotic shambles.” The policy calls on the government to enable refugees from Ukraine to come to the UK without having to apply for a visa. The party’s Foreign Affairs spokesperson Layla Moran said even the government’s latest sponsor scheme would still force Ukrainian refugees to “jump through bureaucratic hoops” to come to the UK. It comes as Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey calls on Boris Johnson to sack Priti Patel over her mishandling of the Ukrainian refugee crisis, which has left families fleeing war struggling to get appointments and facing long delays to have their visa applications processed. Layla Moran MP, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs…
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13Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Lib Dems call for stronger relations with Europe to counter threat of Putin

Lib Dems call for stronger relations with Europe to counter threat of Putin

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have called on the UK government to urgently forge stronger diplomatic relations with our European neighbours, to help counter the threat posed by Putin’s Russia. The call comes as part of a new motion on Europe, passed by the Liberal Democrats at their Spring Conference, which sets out a plan for building trade and cooperation with our European partners. The motion sets out a comprehensive roadmap to improve the UK’s trading relationship with Europe, benefitting British families and businesses. It acknowledges that ties between the UK and Europe have been deeply damaged and will have to be built back gradually over time. The four-stage plan is as follows: Taking immediate action to improve links with our European neighbours, including building closer ties in education by reforming the…
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10Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Abramovich sanctioned: We need to go further and faster

Abramovich sanctioned: We need to go further and faster

Parliamentary news
Responding to the news that Chealsea owner Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran MP said: “The sanctioning of more individuals including Abramovich is well overdue. The Government must now confirm that these individuals’ mansions will be used to house Ukrainian refugees. “The Foreign Secretary must also urgently assess whether these oligarchs have been able to sell off any of their assets due to the Government’s delay in acting. “But we also need to go further and faster. There are hundreds of Kremlin-linked oligarchs and following this announcement, we have sanctioned just 18. It’s not good enough. With every day that goes by, Putin’s cronies will be fire-selling their assets and fleeing our jurisdiction." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijinWrEOKAI
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09Mar 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Economic Crime Bill: Oligarch loophole a get out of jail free card

Economic Crime Bill: Oligarch loophole a get out of jail free card

Parliamentary news
In response to votes in the House of Commons on the Economic Crime Bill, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran MP said: “In light of the horrific war in Ukraine, it’s vital that we end the era of Russian interference in the UK. Unfortunately, oligarchs and their enablers have just been handed a ‘get out of jail free’ card. “The Government promised us that Putin’s cronies would have nowhere to hide - yet tonight they have passed a Bill which contains an oligarch loophole. Under these plans, Conservative Ministers will be able to exempt any individual from crucial dirty money requirements, on the grounds of the economic wellbeing of the United Kingdom. “It’s not too late to take action. The Bill now passes to the House of Lords -…
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