15Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Carmichael: No shock or surprise at EU legal action against UK

Carmichael: No shock or surprise at EU legal action against UK

Parliamentary news
Responding to the news that the European Union have launched legal action against the UK for an alleged breach of the Northern Ireland Protocol trade agreement, Liberal Democrats Spokesperson for Northern Ireland, Alistair Carmichael MP, said: "Given the Government’s track record on negotiating with the EU, this comes as no shock or surprise. "Boris Johnson and his Government have made a pig’s ear of all of this. They have let down everyone – from farmers and fishermen, to businesses needing certainty for the months ahead. “I’ve always been keen to stress that there were other, more collaborative ways, to go about an extension of the grace period which would work in everyone’s best interests. “Instead, this Government was all too quick to take unilateral action. Reneging on an agreement you…
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15Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Lib Dems: Kremlin must clarify Navalny whereabouts immediately

Lib Dems: Kremlin must clarify Navalny whereabouts immediately

Parliamentary news
Responding to the latest developments on Alexei Navalny, Liberal Democrats Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran said: "It is inexcusable that Alexei Navalny's whereabouts are currently unknown. The Kremlin must provide clarity on this immediately to his lawyers. "This comes on top of the already inexcusable arrest and detention of Alexei Navalny, and the shutting down of dissent in Russia from politicians and protestors. The UK should not stand for such human rights abuses and take further action. "The Liberal Democrats continue to call on the Government to investigate implementing fresh Magnitsky sanctions, as the US has done in recent weeks, and assure us that anyone, no matter their wealth or status, will be considered. "Britain should not be a safe haven for anyone aiding Alexei Navalny's detention and mistreatment. The…
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15Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Vigil: Patel & Khan must also be held to account

Vigil: Patel & Khan must also be held to account

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has written to the Home Secretary Priti Patel and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to ask them about their involvement in the policing of the Clapham vigil. The letters state that the tactics seen yesterday at the Clapham vigil were 'disgraceful and disproportionate' and it urges both politcal leaders to join the call for Cressida Dick to resign. The letter, co-signed by Mayor of London candidate Luisa Porritt, goes on to ask each of them to ‘clarify what conversations’ they had with the Metropolitan Police about the event. Mayoral candidate Luisa Porritt It suggests that ‘responsibility’ for the night’s events also rests with the respective political leaders and that the public expects each of them ‘to be held to account’ as well.
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15Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Local Liberal Democrat Councillors seek Council action over Shaw St Paul’s ‘travesty’

Local Liberal Democrat Councillors seek Council action over Shaw St Paul’s ‘travesty’

Borough news
Two years on from its partial collapse, and after £300,000 spent making the site safe, the pile of rubble that was the historic St Paul’s Church at the corner of Rochdale Road and Crompton Way remains a blot on Shaw’s landscape, and Shaw Liberal Democrat Councillors think action by Oldham Council is long overdue. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has written on behalf of all three Shaw Liberal Democrat Councillors to the Leader of the Council asking for urgent Council action and funding to address the ‘travesty’ of St Pauls, reminding the Leader of his promise to the people of Oldham that the Creating a Better Place funding was to be used to make improvements across the whole of the borough, and that includes Shaw. Councillor Sykes said: “With Council intervention,…
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14Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Davey: Minister should not wait for Commissioner report

Davey: Minister should not wait for Commissioner report

Parliamentary news
Responding to Home Office Minister Victoria Atkins’ comments on the Marr show this morning, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: “People want Ministers to act decisively, not play for time waiting for reports. It’s already crystal clear that what happened last night was a complete tactical and moral failure by the Met police. “Cressida Dick has lost the confidence of women in London and she must now resign. The horrific murder of Sarah Everard has left millions of women angry and in grief. They deserved the opportunity to collectively grieve in a peaceful open air vigil. “Yet from start to finish the Met Police got this wrong. They refused to cooperate with organisers trying to put on a Covid-safe event. Then used inappropriate and disproportionate force against women standing peacefully…
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13Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Vigil ban: Govt has duty to facilitate safe protest

Vigil ban: Govt has duty to facilitate safe protest

Parliamentary news
Responding to the ban on the Reclaim These Streets vigil for Sarah Everard, Munira Wilson, Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Twickenham, said: “Women and girls should be able to walk down our streets safely and without fear. I completely understand why people feel moved to attend vigils or protest about this. It is deeply disappointing that the Metropolitan Police have refused to help make it happen. “No one wants to see crowds of people at a time when social distancing is so important to save lives. But Reclaim These Streets is committed to organising Covid-safe vigils and the High Court made it clear that such an event can be lawful. “The Government has a duty to facilitate safe protests. The way the Government has curtailed protest rights and is…
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12Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Brexit trade & GDP: Livelihoods are being ruined

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…
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12Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Cumbria coal mine inquiry welcomed by Lib Dems

Cumbria coal mine inquiry welcomed by Lib Dems

Parliamentary news
Tim Farron MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has welcomed reports that the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has decided to call in plans for the controversial West Cumbria coal mine. The Liberal Democrats have led calls for the plans for the deep coal mine to be axed because of environmental concerns. A local public inquiry will now be launched. Tim Farron MP said: "It's fantastic news that the Government have at long last finally woken up to the fact that this mine would be an almighty backwards step in our fight against climate change. "In the year that Britain hosts COP26, it is blindingly obvious that we won't be taken seriously on the world stage with this coal mine hanging…
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12Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Six-month Universal Credit extension a ‘disappointment’

Six-month Universal Credit extension a ‘disappointment’

Borough news, Parliamentary news
The Oldham Liberal Democrats are disappointed that Chancellor Rishi Sunak has chosen not to make the £20 uplift in Universal Credit permanent in the March Budget. Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, who also serves as Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group at the Local Government Association, joined over 30 Liberal Democrat Council Leaders and elected Mayors in England in writing to the government on this issue last month. Despite their plea to the Chancellor Rishi Sunak MP to respect January’s vote in Parliament calling for a permanent increase, the Chancellor has chosen only to extend the extra £20 per week uplift in Universal Credit benefit payments until the end of September. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE said: “Millions of people are suffering in this country as a result…
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11Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Time to make misogyny a hate crime and pass the Domestic Abuse Bill

Time to make misogyny a hate crime and pass the Domestic Abuse Bill

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrat MP Wendy Chamberlain has called on the Government to pass the Domestic Abuse Bill and make misogyny a hate crime in a powerful International Women's Day speech to the House of Commons. The theme of this year's International Women's Day is "Choose to Challenge". Wendy Chamberlain, who was a police officer before she became an MP, said: "The challenge to the Government is – Pass the Domestic Abuse Bill – it’s been in the offing for four years. Legislate to make misogyny a hate crime. Make sure that those occupying positions of trust are people we really can trust. "Men need to step up. They need to be active allies. International Women's Day is just as much about my 13-year-old son as my daughter. "And the final challenge…
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