22Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Govt U-turns on unlawful and unnecessary restriction of care rights

Govt U-turns on unlawful and unnecessary restriction of care rights

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Government’s announcement that it will remove part of the Coronavirus Act that reduces people’s rights to care, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: "Watering down the rights to care for elderly, disabled and vulnerable people was unlawful and unnecessary. Far too many families have seen the hardships of lockdown compounded by having the lifeline of care cut off completely. “Liberal Democrats opposed the Government reducing people’s care rights from the very start of the pandemic, and voted against this law in September. So I am glad Ministers have finally accepted that care rights must be fully restored. "However, far too many people are still missing out on the care they need because of the Conservative Government’s failure to give local councils the funding they need.…
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22Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
New research shows “shocking” impact of COVID-19

New research shows “shocking” impact of COVID-19

Parliamentary news
Reacting to new research from the Health Foundation that found 1.5 million potential years of life have been lost to COVID-19 in the UK, with each life being cut short by 10 years on average, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health and Social Care, Munira Wilson MP said: “There are no words to describe the pain the country has experienced over the last year and these shocking findings are yet more evidence of the Government’s failure to tackle this virus. “On the anniversary of the first lockdown in the UK it is clear that the Government has learnt few lessons in this last year. They continue to preside over an expensive and ineffective Test and Trace programme, a quarantine system full of holes and a self-isolation system that penalises the low…
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21Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Govt plans for the defence of the realm worry us all

Govt plans for the defence of the realm worry us all

Parliamentary news
Ahead of the Government publishing the Defence Command Paper on Monday, Jamie Stone MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Defence, said: “The Government's plans for the defence of the realm should worry us all. "Everything we have heard so far has reeked of financial mismanagement and broken promises. “Drastic cuts to our armed forces to plug the defence budget blackhole whilst wasting millions on a Hollywood-style situation room tells you everything you need to know about this vanity obsessed Government. "Our Army is the smallest it has been in hundreds of years and our reserves are dwindling in numbers. Yet the Prime Minister is more concerned about his own image. This is not how a responsible Government chooses to defend our country. “The Government’s appalling cuts to foreign aid makes no…
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21Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
A real-terms pay cut is an insult to NHS workers

A real-terms pay cut is an insult to NHS workers

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrats have pressed the Government to give NHS workers a proper pay rise during an emergency motion passed at the party's Spring Conference. Munira Wilson MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health, Social Care and Wellbeing, welcomed the motion being passed: “A real-terms pay cut is an insult to all the NHS workers who have gone above and beyond during this time of national crisis. “This Government seems obsessed with wasting millions of pounds on vanity projects yet can’t find a penny more to give nurses a proper pay rise. What kind of Prime Minister prioritises a new multi-million pound press conference room and expensive flat renovation at the expense of giving nurses a pay rise? "The Liberal Democrats will continue to stand up for nurses and frontline workers who…
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21Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Lib Dems review to plot paths to closer relationship with EU

Lib Dems review to plot paths to closer relationship with EU

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrats have voted to launch an internal review that will set out roadmaps to rejoining EU agencies such as the Customs Union and Single Market, with a view to membership of the European Union in future. It comes in the wake of the devastating impact of Boris Johnson’s trade deal, which has left millions of British businesses and workers worse off. The Liberal Democrats notably stood as the only major, UK-wide party who opposed the deal at every stage it was presented to Parliament. With today’s policy motion they pledged to continue to hold the Government accountable for its inadequacies. The motion, passed at their Spring Conference this weekend, also sets out a desire for closer cooperation with the EU on areas such as climate change, health, science and…
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21Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
We must get serious on Russia for the sake of our democracy

We must get serious on Russia for the sake of our democracy

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have passed a motion at their Spring Conference calling for immediate action to be taken on the Russia Report. This includes: An investigation into Russian interference into our electoral processMaking protection of our democratic security a national priority with clear ministerial responsibilityTake big money out of politics by reforming party funding. Following the debate, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Layla Moran MP said: "It is time for the Government to take our national security seriously and stop ducking this because it’s politically inconvenient. Our democratic defences are weak and we must listen to the urgent warning signs – their own Integrated Review should remind them of that. "Last year's Russia Report has been swept under the carpet by the Conservatives. The security surrounding our elections should…
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19Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Lib Dem councillors push for step free access to Greenfield Station

Lib Dem councillors push for step free access to Greenfield Station

Borough news
Saddleworth’s Liberal Democrat Councillors are pushing again for step free access at Greenfield Station, signing the Step Free Access campaign’s petition to support accessible stations across the entire rail network. Local Liberal Democrat councillor Kevin Dawson said: “Greenfield Station is the only railway station in the whole of Oldham borough. It is a disgrace that it has remained inaccessible for all this time.” Councillor Garth Harkness who has been working for several years to reopen Diggle Station to provide Saddleworth with a second station, added: “With no other alternatives, it is an absolutely necessity that Greenfield Station gets step free access. This has been in limbo for too long – we have asked for a station elsewhere, but been rebuffed; we have been promised step-free access when the line is…
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19Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Record borrowing should not stop support for small businesses

Record borrowing should not stop support for small businesses

Parliamentary news
New economic data from the Office for National Statistics show the Government borrowed £19.1bn last month, the highest figure on record for February. The figures also show public finances worsened further in February as spending on Covid-19 support continued to grow while tax receipts fell. Responding to the new ONS data this morning, Christine Jardine, Treasury Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, said: “These record borrowing figures throw into stark relief the scale of the challenge posed by Covid-19, but they can not be used as an excuse by the Government to end support prematurely, and leave behind people and businesses struggling across the UK. “Thousands of small businesses are due to stay closed for months to come, and millions of people are still worried about their jobs. Yet the Chancellor…
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19Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Failure to address flooding at Dunwood/Woodend, Shaw under fire from Liberal Democrats

Failure to address flooding at Dunwood/Woodend, Shaw under fire from Liberal Democrats

Borough news
Shaw Liberal Democrat Councillors will be demanding action from Oldham Borough Council to tackle flooding at Dunwood, after the continued failure by the Council and the Environment Agency to address the threat posed to local properties. Councillor Howard Sykes MBE said: “For many years we have had the problem of run-off rainwater from Whitfield threatening properties along Woodend and on Smallbrook Road, the owners of which are regularly obliged to deploy sandbags to prevent water entering their homes. After heavy rain it is also common to see the bowling green on Dunwood Park look like a lake, the footpaths unpassable on either side and Pencil Brook becomes a raging torrent.” After years of asking again and again for effective solutions to the problems at Dunwood, Shaw Councillors are once more…
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18Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Domestic Abuse Bill: Government concession on misogyny welcome

Domestic Abuse Bill: Government concession on misogyny welcome

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine, who moved the amendment to the Domestic Abuse Bill to make misogyny a hate crime, has welcomed the Government's concession on misogyny to the bill, but renewed calls for it to be made a hate crime. Christine Jardine MP said: "I am relieved that the Government has recognised the need to act on misogyny and follow the lead already taken on this by some police forces. If we are to better protect women and girls in this country then crimes motivated by hatred towards women and girls must be treated as seriously as racially or religiously motivated hate crimes. "This is a moment when we are sadly too aware of the dangers. We are all grateful to everyone who has worked to make this possible."
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