28Jul 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrats propose Local Plan to stop Green Belt development

Liberal Democrats propose Local Plan to stop Green Belt development

Borough news
Liberal Democrat Councillors will be proposing that Oldham Council refuse to participate in Labour’s ‘Places for Everyone’ plan and instead develop only a Local Plan for housing development to save the borough’s Green Belt. At the special Council meeting (from 6pm, Wednesday 28 July), Liberal Democrat Group Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE will be proposing an amendment to the report presented to Council calling for withdrawal from ‘Places for Everyone’ and the creation of only a Local Plan. The amendment will be seconded by the Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani. Councillor Sykes said: “Places for Everyone is simply the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework repackaged; it is still predicated upon the flawed assumption that it is right and necessary to build thousands of new homes on…
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28Jul 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Liberal Democrat leader sources true cost of ‘Spendles’ purchase at more than £10.6M

Borough news
The Leader of the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has just received a response to his letter asking for clarification of the final cost to ratepayers from the acquisition by the Council of Oldham’s two main shopping centres. As well as purchasing the property, the Council had also to buy out a lease on the former Top Man unit. The initial sale price was £9.5 million, but with the extra cost of purchasing the Top Man lease, and with fees and stamp duty, the final bill amounts to £10,616,000. Councillor Sykes has also received reassurance from the Director of Economy at Oldham Council, Emma Barton, that there are no further outstanding costs to meet and no further leaseholds to buy out. Commenting, Councillor Sykes said: “Of course,…
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28Jul 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Government’s Crime Initiative: “Beggars belief” officers weren’t consulted

Government’s Crime Initiative: “Beggars belief” officers weren’t consulted

Parliamentary news
Responding to the news that senior police officers say they weren't consulted on the Government's new crime initiative, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said:"It beggars belief that the Government would show such contempt for the police and victim groups alike.  "Far too often they are taking people for granted.  "They would rather write their policies on the back of an envelope than consult those on the front line who already know that increased stop and search doesn’t reduce violent crime."
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27Jul 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
PM’s summit risks becoming ‘national embarrassment’

PM’s summit risks becoming ‘national embarrassment’

Parliamentary news
Ahead of Boris Johnson co-hosting a Global Education summit, Liberal Democrats Spokesperson for International Development Layla Moran MP said: "Girls’ education was once a priority for this Prime Minister. Now he uses it as a political sound bite while he goes back on a promise he made to the country and to the 130 million girls who currently have no access to education, at a time when funds have never been more urgently needed. "This week’s summit risks being a national embarrassment. How can the Prime Minister stand up and urge other countries to give generously, while he is slashing spending on girls’ education by nearly £300 million this year? Boris Johnson is taking global leaders for fools if he thinks they won’t see through his ‘do as I say,…
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27Jul 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Government’s crime initiative flies in the face of evidence

Government’s crime initiative flies in the face of evidence

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Government's new crime initiative, Liberal Democrat Peer Brian Paddick said: "This is an outrageous move that flies in the face of the evidence. "Research shows ramping up stop and search doesn’t reduce violent crime. London, where random stop and search measures are already widely used, is set to be the worst year for teenage murders since 2008. "The restrictions on section 60 are there for good reason, not least because you’re 13 times more likely to be stopped and searched if you’re black, if the police are allowed to stop and search at random."
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26Jul 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrats to lead battle in Council to save Oldham’s Green Belt

Liberal Democrats to lead battle in Council to save Oldham’s Green Belt

Borough news
Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE and his party colleagues will vehemently oppose the Places for Everyone plan when it is debated by Oldham Council at a special meeting on 28 July. Oldham Council’s Labour Cabinet is expected to approve taking the plan to Council when it meets on 28 July, and Councillor Sykes and the Liberal Democrat Group will be leading the battle in Council to save Oldham’s green belt from the threat of housing development. “Oldham residents should be in no doubt that Places for Everyone is simply the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework rebadged and repackaged. It contains the self-same fatal flaw – an assumption that it is right and necessary to build thousands of new homes on our precious and irreplaceable Green Belt and on…
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26Jul 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Davey: Government must “stop putting paperwork over people”

Davey: Government must “stop putting paperwork over people”

Parliamentary news
The Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey has called upon the Chancellor to be "on the side of the self-employed", as a million people face being slapped with a tax bill on money they never earned. Income tax bills landing at the doors of the self-employed and freelancers of this country at the end of July will be calculated based upon their earnings in 2019-20 - neglecting the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on business and trade. In a letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Davey sets out five urgent actions required of HMRC to take into account Covid losses on earnings, focused around clear and proper communication with taxpayers. Leader of the Lib Dems Ed Davey MP writes in the letter to the Chancellor: "Covid-19 has wrought havoc on…
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26Jul 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Government punishing young people for pandemic mistakes

Government punishing young people for pandemic mistakes

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are warning that young people are bearing the brunt of this pandemic following reports that students may have to be double-vaccinated to return to lecture halls. Many students have lost out on education after almost 18 months of restrictions, while their mental health is also believed to have been severely impacted by the pandemic and lockdowns. Liberal Democrats Spokesperson for Health Munira Wilson MP said: "It is completely unacceptable that the Government is considering this. While it is crucial every adult who can get vaccinated does get the jab, attempting to withhold face-to-face education from students until they do is crossing a line. "Young people are bearing the brunt of this pandemic, and Government attempts to strongarm them into getting vaccinated will simply push them away. Along…
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22Jul 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Starmer is right to oppose illiberal vaccine passports

Starmer is right to oppose illiberal vaccine passports

Parliamentary news
Reacting to Labour's announcement opposing vaccine passports, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said: “It took him long enough but I am glad that Keir Starmer has come out against vaccine passports. "We need a united front against these illiberal and unworkable proposals and a national campaign through the summer to convince the government to change course. "The Liberal Democrats will be fighting this Covid ID scheme all the way and we will welcome all the supporters we can get.”
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21Jul 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
NHS pay rise bottled: ‘Words and clapping are cheap’

NHS pay rise bottled: ‘Words and clapping are cheap’

Parliamentary news
Reacting to the Government failing to announce a real pay for NHS staff in Parliament today, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Health Munira Wilson MP said in the House: "Words and clapping are cheap - where on Earth is the widely-reported and trailed pay deal announcement which was expected today? "Does she [the Minister] really believe that a one per cent pay rise - which is actually a pay cut - is giving NHS doctors and nurses what they need? Speaking later, she added: "After all that build-up, the Government bottled it and have once again turned their backs on those who are getting us through this pandemic."
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