28Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Failure to publish Sue Gray report in full would be an “insult to the bereaved”

Failure to publish Sue Gray report in full would be an “insult to the bereaved”

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has written to Boris Johnson demanding he publish the Sue Gray report in full, alongside any accompanying evidence such as photos, emails and messages. The letter warns that any attempt to use the Met Police as an excuse to “whitewash” the report will only cause more public anger, including among tens of thousands of bereaved families furious with Boris Johnson for holding rule-breaking parties in Number 10. The letter states that nothing should be left out or redacted from the report unless that has been specifically requested by the police. The Liberal Democrats also highlight how government ministers have referred to the Sue Gray report over 130 times in Parliament in recent weeks, including 22 times by Boris Johnson himself. The letter adds that government…
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28Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Davey on NI tax: Stop faffing about and scrap hike

Davey on NI tax: Stop faffing about and scrap hike

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Government's planned rise in NI contributions from 1st April, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey MP said: "The Government needs to stop faffing about and just scrap this deeply unfair and untimely tax hike. "Every day eye-wateringly high energy bills are arriving through letterboxes, while the prices of other basics like food are soaring too. Rishi Sunak's tax hike will be the last straw for millions of people. "This out of touch Conservative Government must get a grip. It is time Ministers got out of their Downing Street bunker and focused on helping the British people, rather than just looking after themselves.”
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26Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Johnson breaking police pledge as officer numbers fall

Johnson breaking police pledge as officer numbers fall

Parliamentary news
The Conservative Government is off track on its manifesto pledge to recruit 20,000 more police officers by March 2023, with new official figures showing the number of officers actually fell by 413 in December. A total of 11,048 extra officers have been recruited under the Government’s uplift in the 29 months since it started in September 2019 – a rate of 381 more officers per month. To meet the target of 20,000 by March 2023, that rate would have to increase to 597 per month over the next 15 months. Four police forces now have fewer officers than they did a year ago, according to the Home Office figures: Thames Valley (down 29), Gloucestershire (down 22), Warwickshire (down 12) and City of London (down 8). Responding to the figures, Liberal…
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26Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Put Boris on gardening leave whilst Met investigate

Put Boris on gardening leave whilst Met investigate

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have called for Boris Johnson to be placed on gardening leave and removed from Number 10 while the Metropolitan Police investigate the numerous rule-breaking parties that took place. Traditionally, people under investigation are placed on leave whilst the proceedings are ongoing. This is to prevent them from attempting to prevent a fair investigation from being carried out by influencing witnesses or destroying evidence. It’s been reported in recent weeks that Downing Street staff have been advised to delete emails or texts pertaining to parties, ahead of the Sue Gray investigation. Whilst Boris Johnson is on leave, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab would be expected to take over running the day-to-day affairs of the Government. Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said: “Since Boris Johnson is…
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26Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Social care rises are double jeopardy for residents

Borough news, health and social care
The majority of Oldham Borough residents will be horrified that council tax, however the percentages are segmented, will be rising by 3.99% this year after yet another underfunded settlement from a government that is clueless about Oldham and its people, says Oldham Liberal Democrat finance lead Chris Gloster. He said: “The increase of 2% for adult social care is double jeopardy. The prime minister appears intent upon pushing the 1% national insurance increase to fund adult social care, so as pay in the pocket decreases, costs are increasing, and spiralling out of control, with inflation currently sitting in excess of 5%. “Funding adult social care through council tax in the first place is a major problem. The government has failed, year on year, to create a settlement for social care,…
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25Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
A new low for the worst Education Secretary in history

A new low for the worst Education Secretary in history

Parliamentary news
Responding to allegations from Christian Wakeford against Gavin Williamson that he threatened to cancel a new school in his constituency if he voted against the Government on free school meals, Munira Wilson MP, Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson commented: “This is a new low for the worst Education Secretary in memory. “First he betrayed our children's chances to catch up, then he refused to see them fed, now he's exposed for threats and cancelling new schools. ”He is the last person in the country to deserve this rumoured knighthood.”
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25Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Serious allegations of Islamophobia need to investigated

Serious allegations of Islamophobia need to investigated

Parliamentary news
Responding to allegations from Nusrat Ghani MP who says her faith was raised by a Government Whip as a reason as to why she was sacked as a Minister in 2020, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader, Daisy Cooper commented: “Nusrat Ghani is incredibly brave to speak out. These very serious allegations of Islamophobia clearly need to investigated by a complaints process that is independent of the Conservative’s party machine so that she and others can have confidence that her claims won’t be swept aside. “With every passing day, the public are shocked by more and more revelations and allegations from Conservative MPs about the way their Conservative government operates. It’s time for a clear-out, starting in Number 10.”
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25Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Not a penny for new aid in Tonga this year, following aid cut

Not a penny for new aid in Tonga this year, following aid cut

Parliamentary news
Layla Moran MP has been granted an Urgent Question on the humanitarian situation in Tonga, following the eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai volcano on 15 January.  Liberal Democrat analysis from the Government’s own DevTracker shows that UK aid spending in Tonga has been reduced to £0 in 2021-22, a reduction of more than £500k on 2020-21, in the first year of the Government’s aid cut.  The Government is yet to announce the release of any new financial aid to the country following the eruption. Layla Moran criticised the Government’s decision to cut the international development budget, saying that it “has left us responding to disasters like this with one hand tied behind our back”.  The eruption of Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai volcano and subsequent tsunami in Tonga on 15 January has particularly affected smaller islands - on…
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25Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Agnew resignation: Buck stops with Sunak over lost Billions

Agnew resignation: Buck stops with Sunak over lost Billions

Parliamentary news
Responding to the resignation of Treasury Minister Lord Agnew over Covid loan fraud, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said: "Will the last Boris Johnson supporter left turn off the lights? “With two Ministerial resignations in two months and dozens of Tory MPs on the brink of handing in their letters into 1922, this is truly a Conservative government paralysed by chaos. "It is outrageous this Government has allowed fraudsters to steal billions of taxpayer's money, especially when households are facing unfair tax hikes. “The combination of ‘arrogance, indolence, and ignorance’ which Lord Agnew referred to cannot be allowed to continue. “The buck stops with Rishi Sunak. He must explain how he’s going to get back these billions he allowed to be stolen from our schools, hospitals and police…
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25Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
One in three Tory voters less likely to support local Tory candidate if they back Boris Johnson

One in three Tory voters less likely to support local Tory candidate if they back Boris Johnson

Parliamentary news
One third (32%) of those who voted Conservative at the last election are now less likely to support a Conservative candidate if they back Boris Johnson to be Prime Minister. The new poll commissioned by the Liberal Democrats finds four in ten (43%) of the public are less likely to vote Conservative at the next election if their Conservative candidate supports Boris Johnson as Prime Minister. This figure rises to six in ten Labour voters (62%) and almost seven in ten (69%) of Liberal Democrat voters. The Liberal Democrats are within touching distance of Conservative seats across the country, including seats such as Wimbledon, Winchester and Carshalton & Wallington which have Conservative majorities of less than 1,000 votes. The Liberal Democrats have already begun delivering leaflets about Boris Johnson breaking…
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