trade – Page 3 – Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

25May 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Catastrophic trade deal with EU major blow to our trade

Responding to trade stats from the ONS this morning, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Trade Sarah Olney MP said: “The loss of nearly a quarter of our trade with our biggest trading partner should make the Prime Minister and Trade Secretary hang their heads in shame. “Despite the impact of Covid-19, the figures are clear: this is primarily the outcome of the Government’s catastrophic trade deal with the EU. “Hundreds of thousands of British small businesses that rely on trade with Europe have been abandoned by the Government, and their millions of employees will be rightly worried about their future. “We must finally see an end to empty Government slogans about the opportunities of Brexit and see concrete actions to protect the jobs and businesses that depend on trade with Europe.”

12May 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

GDP stats: No sugar coating economic damage of Covid and EU trade deal

Parliamentary news

Responding to estimate figures released this morning showing that the UK's GDP contracted by 1.5% in Q1 2021, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said: "There is no way of sugar coating the clear damage to the economy that these figures demonstrate. "The combination of Covid and the difficulty businesses face in dealing with the new EU trade deal have created a perfect storm for the economy. "This demonstrates again the need for the extension and reform of business support to avoid a damaging cliff edge in September. It's not good enough for the Chancellor to claim he has built business confidence - we need to see real actions, such as the extension of the Furlough scheme and a NICs cut for small businesses."

21Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems review to plot paths to closer relationship with EU

Parliamentary news

Liberal Democrats have voted to launch an internal review that will set out roadmaps to rejoining EU agencies such as the Customs Union and Single Market, with a view to membership of the European Union in future. It comes in the wake of the devastating impact of Boris Johnson’s trade deal, which has left millions of British businesses and workers worse off. The Liberal Democrats notably stood as the only major, UK-wide party who opposed the deal at every stage it was presented to Parliament. With today’s policy motion they pledged to continue to hold the Government accountable for its inadequacies. The motion, passed at their Spring Conference this weekend, also sets out a desire for closer cooperation with the EU on areas such as climate change, health, science and…

12Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Brexit trade & GDP: Livelihoods are being ruined

Parliamentary news

Responding to ONS figures showing UK goods exports to the European Union fell by 40.7% and the UK economy has shrunk by 2.9%, Treasury Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, Christine Jardine MP, said: “These figures are disastrous. Businesses, jobs and livelihoods are being ruined and this botched, unnecessary Brexit deal just makes everything worse. "The Chancellor needs to come up with the long-awaited long term strategy now. We need the big and bold action to save our economy. The budget was a missed opportunity and time is fast running out to save our economy before its too late. The Government cannot continue to blame this on the pandemic. The blame lies solely at their door." “It is small businesses, already on the brink after months of lockdown, which will be…

11Feb 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

UK recovery damaged by Amsterdam taking London’s crown

Parliamentary news

Responding to the news that Amsterdam has overtaken London as Europe's share trading hub, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “The news that Amsterdam has taken London's crown as Europe's leading share-trading hub will send shockwaves through the economy. "As well as the immediate impact on jobs in London this will have a profound effect on a vital UK industry. Our financial services industry creates hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country and contributes more than £70 billion of tax revenue - that is money we need to invest in a strong recovery. "The costs of Boris Johnson's botched trade deal with the EU are now mounting up. It is vital to the UK's recovery that the Prime Minister gets back around the negotiating table and secures a…

10Feb 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

MPs silenced on future Trade Deals

Parliamentary news

Reacting to the Government rejection of scrutiny amendments to the Trade Bill, Liberal Democrat Trade spokesperson Sarah Olney MP said: “The British public have the right to be represented in the negotiation of new trade deals and that means Parliament having its say. It is outrageous that the Government has refused, once again, to back Parliamentary scrutiny in the Trade Bill. “Whether its safeguarding environmental regulations, protecting human rights or maintaining food standards, we have a duty as representatives of the public to scrutinise and vote on the detail of any future trade deal. The Conservatives have voted to ensure that all MPs will be silenced on all future trade deals. “Liberal Democrats will continue the fight to hold this Government to account. It is vital MPs have their say…

04Feb 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Brexit export fiasco: Lib Dems call on PM to meet businesses now

Parliamentary news

Today a new poll by YouGov/HSBC has found that 42% of British exporters said the exit from the single market and customs union has had a “negative impact” on their business. Responding to these findings, Sarah Olney MP, Liberal Democrats spokesperson for Business, Trade, and Transport, said: “Boris Johnson has betrayed British business in his bodged Brexit deal. These new findings serve as a harsh reminder that this Government showed no interest in securing a trade deal which would work for the British people. It was a deal signed purely out of political self-interest. “I call on Boris Johnson to meet with British exporters, particularly small businesses, struggling with his new regime of red tape and listen to their concerns. The Government must own up to their mistakes and rectify…

25Jan 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

EU ambassador must be granted full diplomatic status

Parliamentary news

Responding to FCO Minister Lord Armad's answer to Baroness Ludford's urgent question on the diplomatic status of the EU's ambassador, senior Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Ludford said: “This is not some arcane spat about a dusty diplomatic convention. It is about whether the Prime Minister and his government are prepared to treat the new EU partnership with the seriousness it deserves, or whether they are pandering to the right-wingers in their party before the interests of the UK. "Up and down the country, businesses and individuals are drowning under the weight and expense of red tape that Mr Johnson’s botched Brexit deal has dumped on them. To get any flexibility or easing of that burden will require cooperation with the EU. Signalling to Brussels that their man in London is…

21Jan 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government has chosen to turn a blind eye to genocide

Parliamentary news

Responding to Conservative MPs voting down changes to the Trade Bill which would have put human rights at the heart of UK trade policy, Liberal Democrats Foreign Affairs spokesperson Layla Moran MP said: “Today the Government turned down a crucial opportunity to say ‘never again’ and put ending genocide and protecting human rights at the heart of the UK’s trade policy, despite clear cross-party support. “On the same day that the US recognised what is happening in Xinjiang as genocide, the Government has chosen to turn a blind eye and to not put human rights first. But this isn't over - we will support a new amendment when the Bill goes back to the Lords. "The Liberal Democrats will always fight to protect human rights around the world, and we'll…

21Jan 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Conservatives are letting down British farmers

Parliamentary news

Liberal Democrat MPs have supported amendments to the Trade Bill, aiming to ensure that future trade agreements meet the UK’s high standards of animal welfare. The Conservatives voted to reject these amendments. Furthermore, the government rejected amendments to strengthen the new Trade and Agriculture Commission (TAC), including one requiring the TAC to consider human health, as well as environmental and animal welfare when assessing new trade deals. By consistently failing to support these measures, the Conservatives risk future trade deals permitting the import of food that fails to meet the UK’s high standards. This puts significant pressure on British farmers. Tim Farron MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Farming said: “Farmers across the country are worried about their future - they’re worried that the UK will be flooded with poor quality…