19Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
GMP miss decision deadline on failing IT system

GMP miss decision deadline on failing IT system

Borough news
A decision on the failing multi-million pound iOPS system has still not taken, despite Manchester’s chief constable saying that one was due to be made in December. The computer system, which has cost over £29 million to implement – although the exact figure may never be known – still has major flaws, particularly in the “Police Works” system, which is used to track investigations. Chief Constable Stephen Watson, who was landed with the unenviable task of managing the problems when he took over in 2021, organised an ‘Options Review’ of the system earlier this year, and had stated that a decision would be taken in December. Local Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “This whole thing has been shambolic. Delay after delay, review after review, problem after problem. “We keep…
Read More
18Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Elections Bill: Johnson’s Government ducking and diving from accountability

Elections Bill: Johnson’s Government ducking and diving from accountability

Parliamentary news
Responding to the votes on the controversial Elections Bill, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Political and Constitutional Reform, Alistair Carmichael MP, said: “Rather than strengthening our democracy by getting behind efforts to build a better politics with a fairer electoral system, Conservative Ministers have instead voted to expand the use of the clapped-out First Past The Post, all while making it harder for people to vote. It really does beggar belief. “Their voter ID proposals are not only discriminatory, but a blatant undermining of our democratic rights. Whether it’s this, thinly veiled threats to our national broadcaster or a draconian clampdown on protests, Boris Johnson and his Government are hell-bent on ducking and diving from accountability at every turn - hardly surprising given their recent exploits. "What comes as no surprise,…
Read More
18Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Policing Bill: Crushing defeats a huge victory for people’s rights

Policing Bill: Crushing defeats a huge victory for people’s rights

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrat peers worked across the political divide tonight to defeat a number of controversial Conservative Government amendments to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. The Government had attempted to forcibly rush through anti-protest measures without the appropriate time afforded for the House of Lords to scrutinise them - and without any consideration by the House of Commons at all. But nearly 70 Liberal Democrat Lords voted into the early hours of Tuesday the 18th to ensure the provisions were roundly defeated. Such provisions included a potential 51 week prison sentence for chaining (attachment to objects) and a proposed new offence for obstructing major transport works. Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Home Affairs in the House of Lords, Brian Paddick, said: “This is a huge victory for people’s rights and…
Read More
18Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Pupil Premium “Left to Rot” with Disadvantaged Children £160 worse off

Pupil Premium “Left to Rot” with Disadvantaged Children £160 worse off

Parliamentary news
Responding to a report by the National Foundation for Educational Research which shows that the most disadvantaged children are £160 worse off than in 2015, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Education, Munira Wilson MP, said: “We know the attainment gap is widening because of the pandemic and it is shameful that the Tories have not increased the Pupil Premium in line with inflation. “The Conservatives have decided to prioritise penny-pinching over the most disadvantaged children in our society. “The Government has left the Liberal Democrats’ Pupil Premium to rot, affecting the children hardest hit by lost learning. They must guarantee ring-fenced funding to increase the pupil premium in line with inflation."
Read More
17Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Public most likely to blame oil and gas companies for rising prices as majority back windfall tax

Public most likely to blame oil and gas companies for rising prices as majority back windfall tax

Parliamentary news
– New polling finds 71% of those asked supported a windfall tax on oil and gas companies. Almost 8 in 10 (78%) people blame oil and gas companies for rising energy prices, according to a new poll commissioned by the Liberal Democrats. More people blame oil and gas companies for price rises compared to the Government (69%), household energy providers (65%) and OFGEM (58%). The polling also shows approaching three in four (71%) support a tax on profits of oil and gas companies to increase support for households struggling to afford rising prices. This support for a tax on oil and gas company profits rises amongst those who voted Conservative at the last election (75%). Liberal Democrat Leader and former Energy Secretary Ed Davey was the first politician to call…
Read More
17Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Dowden defence of No10 parties ‘pathetic’ say Lib Dems

Dowden defence of No10 parties ‘pathetic’ say Lib Dems

Parliamentary news
Responding to Oliver Dowden's appearance on BBC Sunday Morning, where he defended the Prime Minister and blamed an 'underlying culture' for the Downing Street parties, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran MP said: "This pathetic attempt to defend Boris Johnson will just fan the flames of public anger against this rotten Conservative government. "Boris Johnson is once again blaming those around him instead of taking responsibility. "If he really is angry about these parties, he must be furious with himself. Boris Johnson allowed them to happen, he joined in, and then he tried to cover it up by lying to the public. "The very same day Oliver Dowden ordered people to only meet in pairs outside, Boris Johnson was attending a party in Number 10. We don't just need…
Read More
17Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Lib Dems table no confidence motion in Boris Johnson

Lib Dems table no confidence motion in Boris Johnson

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have tabled a no confidence motion in Boris Johnson, and challenged Conservative MPs to vote for it to force the prime minister to step down. The motion states that Parliament has no confidence in Boris Johnson as he has “broken the Covid lockdown laws his Government introduced, misled both Parliament and the public about it, and disastrously undermined public confidence in the midst of a pandemic.” The motion been so far been signed by 18 MPs from four parties. These include all thirteen Liberal Democrat MPs, two Labour MPs, two from Plaid Cymru and Stephen Garry from the Alliance Party. The Liberal Democrats have also written to Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg, demanding he put the motion to a vote within the next week.…
Read More
17Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
‘Back off our BBC!’ say Lib Dems

‘Back off our BBC!’ say Lib Dems

Parliamentary news
Responding to DCMS Secretary Nadine Dorries' comments regarding the future of the BBC, Liberal Democrat DCMS Spokesperson Jamie Stone MP said: “This latest Tory attack on the BBC threatens to destroy a service which is respected around the world for its high quality content. “Freezing the license fee represents a stealth cut of almost £2 billion that will put services, including local radio stations and children's programming, at risk. “What’s worse, there is no clarity about the future and threadbare funding will only further chip away at our cherished national broadcaster. “Our world leading creative industries support thousands of jobs, but Nadine Doris only cares about trying to silence unfavourable headlines. “The Government must stop this reckless ideological crusade and back off our BBC.”
Read More
14Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Government fails to recruit ex-teachers after spending under £4,000 on the campaign

Government fails to recruit ex-teachers after spending under £4,000 on the campaign

Parliamentary news
A Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Question has today revealed that the Department for Education spent just £3882 on the campaign to bring retired and ex-teachers back to the profession to fill Covid-related absences. It comes as just 485 ex-teachers have been recruited by the Education Secretary's failed recruitment drive, while official data from the Department for Education yesterday reported 44,000 teachers and school leaders have been absent from schools across the country. In a Government press release, Nadhim Zahawi claimed the campaign was part of [doing] “everything in my power to protect education”, yet spent less than two months average salary for a teacher on the entire campaign. Teacher absences across the country are now reaching crisis point with Zahawi planning for shortages of 25%. Last weekend on the BBC Sunday…
Read More
14Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Clean Air Zone “isn’t fair and is fundraising”

Clean Air Zone “isn’t fair and is fundraising”

Borough news, environment
Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani has challenged Andy Burnham’s assertion to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (11/01/22) that the Clean Air Zone was not aimed at raising funds, and that the intention was that people should see that it was fair. He said: “The money raised from the Clean Air Zone has to go into projects to address transport issues and reduce pollution. If Andy Burnham means it when he says that this charge is not for fundraising, he should get the ten local authorities to commit that every penny raised goes into helping businesses to pay for the upgraded vehicles that they need to avoid the charge. “He is calling on the Government to commit the money to pay for this hardship fund. Well, I think we shouldn’t be…
Read More