19Dec 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Frost resignation: The rats are fleeing Boris Johnson’s sinking ship

Frost resignation: The rats are fleeing Boris Johnson’s sinking ship

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports Lord Frost has resigned from the government, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran said: “This shock resignation is a sign of the chaos and confusion at the heart of this Conservative government. "The rats are fleeing Boris Johnson's sinking ship as he lurches from crisis to crisis. "Even the prime minister's once loyal supporters are now abandoning him, just as lifelong Conservative voters are switching in their droves to the Liberal Democrats. “At a time we need strong leadership to get us through the pandemic, we instead have a weak prime minister who has lost the support of his allies and the trust of the British people.”
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19Dec 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liz Truss Brexit appointment: PM setting up leadership rival to fail

Liz Truss Brexit appointment: PM setting up leadership rival to fail

Parliamentary news
Responding to the news that Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will take over Lord Frost's Brexit responsibilities following his resignation, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran MP said: “The Tories are tearing themselves apart under Boris Johnson. The Prime Minister is more interested in setting his leadership rivals up to fail than doing what’s right for the country. “Liz Truss has shown time and again that she doesn’t care about the national interest - she’s only interested in appealing to Conservative party members. That is a disgrace. “Under David Frost, our relations with Europe were already teetering on the brink of a trade war. Families and small businesses up and down the country will now be seriously worried about what the future holds for our trade with Europe.”
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12Oct 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
NI Protocol: Tories talking casually on breaking international law

NI Protocol: Tories talking casually on breaking international law

Parliamentary news
Reacting to Lord Frost's speech in Lisbon today on the UK-EU relationship and the Northern Ireland Protocol, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs and Northern Ireland Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said: “This Conservative Government is playing out like a badly-written farce. The same minister who just months ago was trumpeting the Government's botched Brexit deal now says it’s intolerable and has to be changed. “After all the upheaval British businesses have suffered and all the challenges they face now, they need certainty and support from the Government, not more pointless posturing. The solution to disruption and shortages is working together with our friends and neighbours, not picking needless fights. “Boris Johnson's Conservatives have got to stop talking so casually about breaking international law. Every time they do this, it weakens the UK’s…
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03Sep 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Continued wait for EU replacement cash means Conservative government ‘short-changing Oldham’, says Sykes

Continued wait for EU replacement cash means Conservative government ‘short-changing Oldham’, says Sykes

Borough news
Oldham Liberal Democrats are disappointed that promised government cash to replace the development grants previously provided by the European Union is too little and still hasn’t arrived. In the last round of European funding (2014-2020), the ten Greater Manchester authorities received £322.75m [European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) (£176.78m) and the European Social Funding (ESF) (£145.97m)]. Over each of the six years this represented £53.8m per year. In 2017, the Conservatives promised to replace these funds with a new UK Shared Prosperity Fund once the UK exited the European Union. Ministers now say they plan to launch this in 2022 and in the meantime have made only £220 million available this year through a stopgap UK Community Renewal Fund. Local authorities have been invited to bid, with those councils in greater…
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27Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Gove gambles on a deal this year no matter the cost

Parliamentary news
Responding to comments from Michael Gove about the likelihood of securing a deal with the EU before the end of June this year, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “It is deeply concerning that the Government still refuses to extend the transition period during the coronavirus crisis. “Gove says that there is a two to one chance of a deal but why is the government so happy to gamble on our future during this crisis? “Gove admitted limited progress has been made on negotiations during this round. The Government must now face up to this reality and seek an extension to the transition period. We must prioritise the safety and wellbeing of the British public over an arbitrary deadline and Brexit ideology.”
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