17Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Partygate: Lib Dems submit motion to reveal if PM and senior officials fined by Met Police

Partygate: Lib Dems submit motion to reveal if PM and senior officials fined by Met Police

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have tabled a ‘Humble Address’ motion to force the government to reveal whether Boris Johnson, ministers and senior officials have been fined by the Met police over law-breaking parties in Number 10. The parliamentary motion would require the publication of a full list of the names of any elected officials, senior civil servants and political appointees given Fixed Penalty Notices as a result of the police investigation. It would also require the Sue Gray report to be published in full alongside any accompanying evidence including photographs. Scotland Yard have been given over 300 photographs and 500 pages of evidence by Suer Gray in support of their investigation into parties at Number 10 during lockdown. Sue Gray interviewed over 70 individuals for her report, but was unable to…
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17Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Cancelling the ‘Golden Visa’ scheme is long overdue

Parliamentary news
Scrapping the ‘Golden Visa’ scheme is long overdue. It has taken the threat of a defeat in Parliament to get the Government to act – with a government source confirming reports that there would be an announcement on the scheme next week. In the Lords the Liberal Democrats tabled an amendment to the nationality and borders bill requiring the scheme was stopped until a full review was published. An Intelligence and Security Committee report warned that a lack of checks has meant illegal cash could flow into the UK from Russia. Responding to the cancelling of the ‘Golden Visa’ scheme, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran MP commented: “The Conservatives have turned a blind eye to Russian interference in this country for years and had an open door policy to…
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16Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Businesses loud and clear on failed EU trade deal

Businesses loud and clear on failed EU trade deal

Parliamentary news
Responding to research by the British Chambers of Commerce which shows that firms are unhappy with the EU trade deal and the difficulties it has imposed upon trade, Liberal Democrat Business Spokesperson Sarah Olney MP said: “Businesses are saying loud and clear that Boris Johnson’s trade deal with the EU is simply not good enough, but the Government isn’t even listening. “Claims from the likes of Jacob Rees-Mogg about Brexit opportunities ring hollow for businesses being drowned in paperwork and delays at our borders. “This failed trade deal is even making the cost of living crisis worse, as many businesses have no choice but to raise their prices. According to the latest figures from the ONS, trade with the EU fell by £20bn last year – that's a 12% decline on…
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16Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Ending Covid Testing: Vulnerable people ‘thrown to the wolves’

Parliamentary news
Responding to calls from 18 leading health charities for the Government to do more to support immunocompromised people, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said: "Vulnerable people are once again being thrown to the wolves by the Conseratives as their big push to abandon all precautions is leaving many to live in fear and isolation. "The Government's own advice to vulnerable people says they should have people test before they meet and avoid crowded spaces to avoid infection. This means many continue to shield, but don't get any additional support to do so. "Ending access to free Covid testing will further isolate these people and cut off a key way they can protect themselves. As well as the scrapping of free testing, it is being proposed that the £500…
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16Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Inflation: Families need a lifeline

Parliamentary news
Responding to new figures showing inflation has reached a 30 year high of 5.5%, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said: "Families are facing an unprecedented cost of living crisis, with a triple whammy of spiralling energy bills, Conservative tax rises and 30-year high inflation. "People are worried about heating their homes and putting food on the table, yet all we've seen from this Government is half measures and a raft of tax hikes in April. That's not the leadership people need in this crisis. • December’s 5.4% annual rise in consumer prices was the highest since 1992, and the Bank of England has imposed consecutive interest rate hikes for the first time since 2004 in a bid to contain runaway inflation.• The Bank of England expects inflation to…
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15Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Scrapping free Covid tests will leave public “flying blind”

Parliamentary news
Responding to the news that free PCR and lateral flow tests will be scrapped for everyone next week, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said: “Scrapping free tests when case rates are still sky high will leave the public and scientists flying blind. If there’s one sure fire way to put the country at risk of another lockdown, it’s scrapping all the warning lights like this. “It will also be impossible for the immunosuppressed to take 'personal responsibility' for assessing their risk if there’s no actual data on the level of risk in their community." In Oldha, Covid figures are below the national average, although in the week to 5th February 2022, Oldham had a total of 1,067 new cases, lower than the previous week’s total of 1,672. This…
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14Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Conservatives fail to do Equality Impact Assessment and try to steal Lib Dem clothes

Borough news, fairer council
The failure of the so-called Conservative budget proposals to assess their impact was just one of the flaws highlighted at their presentation at Oldham Council's Policy Overview and Scrutiny Committee [8 February]. Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillor Diane Williamson said: ”The Conservatives kept telling the Committee that they did not have enough time to put forward a budget – so instead they stole most of what the Liberal Democrats have put together over the last four to five years and submitted that; rebadged slightly – but still what Lib Dems have suggested years before, and most of which they had previously voted against!” The Conservatives have been on Oldham Council for many years now and have sat in numerous Budget Council meetings. They also have dedicated staff now, so there really…
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14Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
No resignation gongs for Johnson

No resignation gongs for Johnson

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have said Boris Johnson should be barred from handing out knighthoods, peerages and other honours when he steps down as Prime Minister. The party’s Chief Whip, Wendy Chamberlain, has written to the chairs of the House of Lords Appointments Commission and the Cabinet Office Honours Committee urging them to reject Johnson’s resignation honours list if he puts one forward. It comes after recent reports Boris Johnson has promised knighthoods and peerages to Conservative MPs to persuade them not to hand in their letters of no confidence to the 1922 committee. Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain MP said: “Boris Johnson should have already left Number 10. Instead he’s promising people knighthoods and honours in a desperate attempt to cling on to power. “A Prime Minister forced from…
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11Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Public reject Sunak’s ‘buy now, pay later’ energy plan

Public reject Sunak’s ‘buy now, pay later’ energy plan

Parliamentary news
Responding to a new poll from Money Saving Expert, which shows 57% of bill payers would opt-out of the Government's planned 'energy rebate' if they could, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said: "The Chancellor's botched energy loan scheme is playing a game of Russian roulette with people's finances. The public have given their verdict - they don't want to be forced to take on this energy debt for years to come. "Rishi Sunak needs to understand this is about more than numbers on a spreadsheet, it is about people's lives. "Rather than clobbering people now and in the future with a shoddy buy now pay later scheme, the Conservatives must increase support for families now. "That should start by backing Liberal Democrat calls for a windfall tax on…
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11Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Veiled threat to Met Police from Boris Johnson ally over partygate a “dark moment”

Veiled threat to Met Police from Boris Johnson ally over partygate a “dark moment”

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports that a senior ally of Boris Johnson has said the Met Police will need to be 'very certain' that he has breached lockdown rules before issuing him with a fine, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: “This veiled threat by Number 10 allies is amongst very heavy competition perhaps the darkest moment of this whole sorry saga. “It shows a fundamental belief in the heart of government that Boris Johnson should be above the law and that Number 10 will bring any institution into disrepute to save Johnson’s skin. "This is a sobering reminder of why we need a cast-iron guarantee that Boris Johnson and his team will have nothing to do with the appointment of Cressida Dick's successor. “There was a time that the Conservatives called…
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