13Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Vaccine passports U-turn: Victory for the Lib Dems

Vaccine passports U-turn: Victory for the Lib Dems

Parliamentary news
Reacting to the Health Secretary's announcement that the Government are abandoning the vaccine passport scheme, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Home Affairs Alistair Carmichael MP said: "This is a victory for the Liberal Democrats and all those campaigners who stood up for our civil liberties against these deeply illiberal and unworkable plans. "The Conservatives have needlessly sown confusion among businesses for months by threatening to introduce Covid passports, and will not be forgiven for it. "After this inevitable U-turn, the Conservatives must now see sense and scrap the unnecessary and draconian Coronavirus Act altogether."
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10Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
GDP figures show too soon to pull plug on furlough

GDP figures show too soon to pull plug on furlough

Parliamentary news
Commenting on the latest GDP stats, Lib Dem Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: "These figures show the economy is far from being out of the woods yet, and that it's far too soon for the government to be pulling the plug on vital support for struggling households and businesses. "Hard-pressed families face a triple whammy with the end of furlough, the scrapping of the Universal Credit uplift and the unfair National Insurance tax hike. “Meanwhile, Ministers have done nothing to fix the labour shortage and supply chain crises that now pose a huge risk to the UK’s economic growth. “It’s unacceptable that instead of putting all their energy into protecting jobs, businesses, and our hard-fought economic recovery, ministers are busy cooking up unfair, manifesto-breaking tax rises.”
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10Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Seeing double: Sykes shares concerns that Spindles plan duplicates existing provision

Seeing double: Sykes shares concerns that Spindles plan duplicates existing provision

Borough news
The Leader of the Oldham Liberal Democrats has written to a senior Council officer with his concerns that elements of the current plan to refurbish Spindles mean spending again on something Oldham already has. In his letter to the Director of Economy Emma Barton, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE points out that Oldham already has a dedicated space for new creative industries and an unused food court in Create Oldham and the Egyptian Room respectively, and he is concerned that the Labour Council will be spending more public money on duplicating the same in Spindles rather than using what Oldham already has better. Councillor Sykes said: “This is like seeing double. Oldham’s Labour Council spent at least £1.5 million to refurbish an old night club on Yorkshire Street into Hack Oldham…
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10Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Police reforms and PwC report publication ‘eagerly awaited’

Borough news
The Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, is ‘eagerly awaiting’ Friday 10 September, for this is the day that Greater Manchester’s new Police chief reveals his plan to reshape policing across the city region and the Mayor of Greater Manchester finally publishes a secret report into police failings. Councillor Sykes has previously written to Mayor Andy Burnham demanding a report prepared in the spring at public expense by accountants Price Waterhouse Coopers be published. His requests have met with obfuscation and outright refusal as Mayor Burnham kept the report under wraps during his re-election campaign and whilst a new Chief Constable was being appointed. The report allegedly exposes grave police failings; failings that Councillor Sykes has also repeatedly raised in correspondence with the…
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10Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Rough sleeping across England soars by 39.4% in past year

Rough sleeping across England soars by 39.4% in past year

Parliamentary news
Figures show the number of households assessed as rough sleeping across England have soared by 39.4% in the past year, up from 8,310 to 11,580. Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, who this week held a House of Commons debate on rough sleeping, has called on the government to take action to live up to their manifesto commitment of ending rough sleeping across the country stating that we are “in dire need of action”. The Lib Dem MP also called out the "heartless" cut to Universal Credit saying that it would "plunge even more people into poverty." The figures show a huge rise in rough sleeping across the nation's capital London, with a 66% increase in rough sleeping bringing the total to a staggering 11,580. Commenting on the stats, Liberal Democrat…
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09Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Priti Patel’s reckless handling of migrants risks lives

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports that the Government plans to send back boats carrying migrants back across the channel, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Home Affairs Alistair Carmichael MP said: “Priti Patel’s latest cruel idea shows she is not interested in saving lives. “The Government should be trying to stop people making these dangerous Channel crossings, not forcing them to try again. “The Home Secretary's recklessly ideological immigration rules risk killing off our economic recovery before it has begun. Is it too much to hope that she might spend her time attending to that instead of looking for the next dog whistle photo op?"
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09Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

‘Grave concern’ that home of first test tube baby short of test tubes

Borough news
Crompton Liberal Democrat Councillor Louie Hamblett has written to the newly appointed local NHS supremo Mike Barker to express his grave concerns that shortages in medical supplies will impact on patient health over the autumn, with blood tests and flu shots being rationed. Councillor Hamblett, who serves as Shadow Cabinet Member for Heath & Social Care, wrote to the new Interim Accountable Officer of the Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group, Mike Barker, over the recent shortages of test tubes which will prevent some patients receiving their annual blood screening tests at this time. On top of this, Louie was alarmed to hear news that flu vaccinations may also be limited by a shortage of supplies. Commenting, Councillor Hamblett said: “Oldham has been especially hard hit by Covid-19 and sadly many of…
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09Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Government must fix ‘gaping hole’ in EU trade deal

Government must fix ‘gaping hole’ in EU trade deal

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have called for the UK Government to take swift action to support the UK creative industry, which is being hard hit by the current EU trading arrangements. During the post-Brexit negotiations, European officials offered the UK a tailored package to support the creative industries. This would’ve seen some elements of temporary Freedom of Movement retained for the UK and EU performers and companies. However the UK Government rejected these plans, and this has had a huge impact on the ability of UK performers, artists and performers to tour Europe and greatly reduced the opportunities available to new, aspiring talent. Today in the House of Lords Liberal Democrat peer Lord Paul Strasburger, who is campaigning on this issue with Sir Elton John, pushed the Government on what they…
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08Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Lib Dems demand Parliament vote on vaccine passports

Lib Dems demand Parliament vote on vaccine passports

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have demanded that MPs are given a vote on vaccine passports before they are introduced at the end of the month, in an urgent question in Parliament today. Responding in Parliament, Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi failed to offer clarity on whether MPs will be given a vote on the plans, instead only promising there would be "appropriate scrutiny". Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said: “Vaccine passports are illiberal, unworkable and will hit thousands of struggling businesses with extra costs and bureaucracy. “The government is failing to address the concerns of those impacted and failing to listen its own backbenchers. “Yet Nadhim Zahawi’s weasel words today suggest ministers are running scared of holding a vote in Parliament before vaccine passports are introduced. “Never before in…
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08Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Return to sender: Royal Mail refuse local Olympian gold post box

Borough news
A plea from Shaw Liberal Democrat Councillors for a gold post box in the town to mark the recent Olympic success of local hero Matthew Walls has been refused by Royal Mail. Shaw cyclist Matthew won a Gold and Silver medal at the recent Tokyo Olympics. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE who made the request on behalf of his Shaw colleagues to the Chief Executive was ‘very disappointed’ at the response. “It is clear that Royal Mail regard the action they took after the 2012 London Games in painting post boxes gold as a never-to-be-repeated homage to this nation’s Olympic success,” said Councillor Sykes. “It is a real pity that they do not feel able now to continue the practice as a gold post box is a clear symbol to local…
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