11Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Home Affairs Committee must approve new Met chief

Home Affairs Committee must approve new Met chief

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are calling for the next Metropolitan Police Commissioner to be subject to a confirmation hearing and vote by Parliament’s cross-party Home Affairs Committee, to make sure the Government can’t “stitch it up”. Following Cressida Dick’s sudden retirement, there are fears that Boris Johnson and his allies could handpick her successor, despite being under criminal investigation. Under the current law, the Home Secretary chooses the Commissioner and “must have regard” to the Mayor of London’s recommendation. The Liberal Democrats are proposing a change to the law to add a requirement that the Home Affairs Select Committee votes to approve the appointment before it can be made. Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said: “Boris Johnson is under criminal investigation by the Met. We cannot leave it…
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11Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Davey: Cressida Dick successor must not be handpicked by Johnson

Davey: Cressida Dick successor must not be handpicked by Johnson

Parliamentary news
Responding to the news that Cressida Dick has quit her role as the Met Commissioner, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: “Boris Johnson must have no role in choosing Cressida Dick’s successor to lead the Met. A man under criminal investigation by the Met should not be able to choose who’s in charge of it. “I would like to thank Cressida Dick for her years of dedicated police service, but a change of leadership in the Met is long overdue. “Met police officers who work incredibly hard and risk their lives to keep us safe deserve better. They urgently need new leadership that will change the culture and rebuild the public trust and confidence that officers need to do their jobs and keep us all safe. “No one handpicked by…
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11Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Restarting China trade talks sends “dangerous signal” over Uyghur genocide

Restarting China trade talks sends “dangerous signal” over Uyghur genocide

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports in Politico that the Boris Johnson is planning to restart trade talks with China, Liberal Democrat Trade Spokesperson Sarah Olney MP said: “How can the Conservative Government plan to strike a trade deal with China given the genocide against the Uyghurs? “Conservative Ministers are sending a dangerous signal to Beijing that they can get away with whatever they want. “Rather than hold new trade talks with China, the UK must ban imports from Xinjiang, and recognise the genocide taking place there. We must not stay silent.”
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10Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Truss must stand up to Russia on Ukraine and dirty cash

Truss must stand up to Russia on Ukraine and dirty cash

Parliamentary news
Responding to the confirmation that Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will fly to Moscow to meet with her Russian counterpart, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran MP said: “In her meetings with the Kremlin, Truss must make it clear to Russia that we will no longer tolerate Putin’s cronies stashing their dirty cash in our country. “Conservative Ministers have been continuously missing in action. When the US, French and German foreign ministers last met to thrash out a plan, Truss was too busy chasing the sun in Australia to attend. “To use this crisis as an opportunity for a photoshoot would be grossly irresponsible. Truss should complete her catch-up tour and make up for lost time by stopping off in Berlin and Paris on her way back from Moscow.”
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10Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Partygate picture: Johnson is not fit to be Prime Minister

Partygate picture: Johnson is not fit to be Prime Minister

Parliamentary news
Responding to the new image which shows Boris Johnson pictured with an open bottle of bubbly at an alleged No 10 Christmas Quiz, Liberal Deomcrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said: "These new images confirm what we already know - Boris Johnson is not fit to be Prime Minister. "The Met Police must add this to the long list of rule-breaking parties to investigate without delay. "Conservative MPs must also look themselves in the mirror and do the patriotic thing by calling on Boris Johnson to resign. Everyday the Prime Minister stays in office is an insult to those who endured such hardship during the pandemic."
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10Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
PM must correct record on fraud figures and apologise to four million victims

PM must correct record on fraud figures and apologise to four million victims

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has challenged Boris Johnson to correct the record after misleadingly claiming crime has fallen, and apologise to the four million victims of fraud he has written out of the picture. The UK Statistics Authority last week officially rebuked Boris Johnson and Priti Patel for misleadingly claiming that crime had fallen, following a letter of complaint by Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng then claimed this weekend that fraud isn’t something people experience in their day-to-day lives. Analysis by the Liberal Democrats show there were 100,393 fraud offences referred to the police in London last year, 8,957 fraud offences in Surrey which is home to Kwasi Kwarteng’s constituency of Spelthorne, and 11,829 fraud offences in Essex which includes Priti Patel’s seat…
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10Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Lib Dems table motion to allow MPs to call out Johnson’s lies in Parliament

Lib Dems table motion to allow MPs to call out Johnson’s lies in Parliament

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have tabled a motion to allow MPs to point out when the Prime Minister makes misleading statements, without being thrown out of the Commons. The motion, tabled by Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey, would amend Parliament’s standing orders to allow MPs to say in the Commons Chamber why they believe “the Prime Minister has misled the House.” Under current rules, doing this would be deemed as “grossly disorderly conduct” which would lead to the Speaker having no choice but to evict an MP from the chamber. The Liberal Democrats are calling on Conservative MPs and opposition parties to back the change, so that Boris Johnson can be held to account for his lies and “Trumpian” behaviour. It comes after Boris Johnson has repeatedly made misleading statements in…
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10Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
NHS waiting lists: The Conservatives are playing with people’s lives

NHS waiting lists: The Conservatives are playing with people’s lives

Parliamentary news
In reaction to new NHS waiting list figures being over six million people, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson, Daisy Cooper MP commented: “NHS waiting lists were already at crisis point before the pandemic and now they’re off the charts. “This Government has brought the NHS to breaking point and the public isn’t fooled: the Tory attempts to rehash old cancer targets, and pretend it’s all down to the pandemic just won’t cut it. “After years of driving our health and care services into the ground, the Conservatives need to come up with something better, or it’ll cost people’s lives.”
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09Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrats demand opportunity to hold those responsible to account on CSE report

Liberal Democrats demand opportunity to hold those responsible to account on CSE report

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence
Oldham’s people deserve the chance to question those responsible for its policing and care services at a Council meeting covering the independent investigation into CSE, say Oldham’s Liberal Democrats.   The Council has previously agreed to the Liberal Democrats’ request  for a specific meeting to address the topic when the report is finally released. The Liberal Democrats want this pledge reaffirmed.  They are also calling for GMP chief constable Stephen Watson, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, and the senior leadership of the Council, in particular the Cabinet Member for children’s services, to face questioning on any issues that the report brings up.  Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “It is vital for the people of Oldham to have confidence not only in the report, but in obtaining justice for survivors, and ensuring that…
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09Feb 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Reshuffle is “reward for failure” for Rees-Mogg while people punished with tax hike

Reshuffle is “reward for failure” for Rees-Mogg while people punished with tax hike

Parliamentary news
Responding to the government reshuffle, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran MP said: “This reshuffle is a pathetic attempt to distract from the Downing Street partygate scandal, putting Boris Johnson’s political survival ahead of the national interest. “The only real Brexit opportunity so far seems to be for Jacob Rees-Mogg, who will pocket a whopping pay rise after trying to get Owen Paterson off the hook for breaking the rules. “This is a reward for failure while people around the country are punished with a crippling Tory tax hike. “The Conservatives need to focus on tackling the big issues facing the country, instead of doling out top jobs to Boris Johnson’s few remaining allies.”
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