16Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
PM’s no deal comments further reveal his incompetence

PM’s no deal comments further reveal his incompetence

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports that the Prime Minister has said it's time to 'get ready' for no deal, Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “Boris Johnson’s handling of Brexit has been disastrous and these reckless comments are just further evidence of the Prime Minister's incompetence. It has been more than four years since the referendum and yet here we are with a potential no deal and less than three months until the transition period ends. "At a time when the UK is already facing the biggest crisis in generations as a result of coronavirus, we cannot afford to crash out of the EU without a deal in place or to accept a rushed, bad deal. The Government cannot allow people's livelihoods to be put further at risk, when so many are…
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12Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
PM has failed the north of England and the whole country

PM has failed the north of England and the whole country

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Prime Minister's announcement of new coronavirus guidelines, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “People across this country have endured terrible hardships over the past six months, losing loved ones, losing livelihoods and isolating from friends and family. That’s why people are so angry to see their hard work and sacrifices utterly wasted by the incompetence of Boris Johnson. “The priority now has to be keeping people safe and ensuring no one is left behind, particularly in the north of England, which is bearing the brunt of the government’s shambles. Boris Johnson must get testing, tracing and isolating right, and provide proper economic support to save jobs and livelihoods. If the Government does not do more to help, it risks pushing millions of families into poverty.”
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06Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Lib Dems: PM’s speech no more than a pipe dream

Lib Dems: PM’s speech no more than a pipe dream

Parliamentary news
Responding to Boris Johnson's speech to Conservative Party Conference, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “The Prime Minister's speech utterly failed to deliver a credible plan to beat Coronavirus. With the Government's tracing system in meltdown, a quarter of the UK in lockdown and millions set to face unemployment, this speech was nothing more than a pipe dream.  “People and business need not only reassurance from the Prime Minister, but concrete measures to help them face the next six months of this pandemic. They got neither. "Even when talking of recovery, Johnson's plans were unambitious at best - the money being spent on wind power is just a fraction of what is needed to ensure we achieve a green recovery. Equally, it is more than ironic for the Prime…
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06Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Tories fail to honour promise to ban sex offenders from public office

Tories fail to honour promise to ban sex offenders from public office

Parliamentary news
After almost two years, the Conservative Government has still not honoured a promise to make it illegal for anyone who is a convicted sex offender to stand or remain in public office as a Councillor or elected Mayor, and Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, is “deeply disappointed” by the failure of the Government to act. In March 2017, Councillor Sykes backed a motion brought to Council by the then Leader of the Council that called on the government to ban sex offenders from public office. Later that year, the government launched a lengthy public consultation on its proposal to do so to which Oldham Council responded in support, but it was not until October 18 of the following year that Local Government Minister Rishi Sunak MP said…
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05Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Chancellor’s speech will have disappointed millions in need

Chancellor’s speech will have disappointed millions in need

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have claimed the Chancellor's speech at the Conservative Party's virtual conference will have "disappointed millions who were hoping to hear how he plans to help them through this crisis." Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “The Chancellor’s speech will have disappointed millions who were hoping to hear how he plans to help them through this crisis. “Instead of an extension to furlough, measures to help the millions excluded from help or a boost to universal credit, we were instead given little more than a stump speech to aid Rishi Sunak’s career. “The country needs concrete measures now to support the millions of people who are worried about their jobs and their family’s financial futures.”
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01Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Clarity of purpose and clarity of messages essential to defeat Covid – Davey

Clarity of purpose and clarity of messages essential to defeat Covid – Davey

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Prime Minister's coronavirus briefing yesterday, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: “Another day, another press conference, another blown opportunity by the Prime Minister to give the assurances the British public so desperately need. Testing remains shambolic and people’s livelihoods hang on a knife edge with no extension of the furlough scheme to protect them. “When I have been listening to communities across the country, they are desperately worried about their jobs and the terrible uncertainty they have around the testing regime. “Make no mistake the UK's lack of preparedness for the second wave lies squarely at the feet of Boris Johnson and his Government. Bluff and bluster can no longer be put in front of adequate provision for our NHS, our teachers, our carers and all our key…
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29Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Lib Dems call on Govt to tackle ‘Long Covid’

Lib Dems call on Govt to tackle ‘Long Covid’

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrat proposals which, if taken up, would see the Government get a grip on the coronavirus crisis have been passed at the Party's Autumn conference. In particular, the motion urged the Government to not only recognise and commission research into 'Long Covid', but also develop a rehabilitation strategy for investing in and increasing services to help people recover from the virus. Following the passing of the motion, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “As we enter into a second wave, it's essential that the Government learns the necessary lessons from the first wave of the pandemic and steps up support for all those who need it. In particular, it is crucial the Government puts in place a rehabilitation strategy for all those who have fallen seriously ill from…
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25Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Ed Davey opens Lib Dem conference

Ed Davey opens Lib Dem conference

Parliamentary news
Speaking on the opening of the Liberal Democrats' first digital conference today, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey has warned the coronavirus crisis is taking an "enormous toll on people’s lives and livelihoods" and urged his Party to listen, challenge Boris Johnson's Conservatives and fight for what people really need. He said: “The coronavirus crisis is taking an enormous toll on people’s lives and livelihoods. People are worried about their loved ones and millions of families are facing financial hardship. "To represent communities across the country – Liberal Democrats need to listen. We need to be a Party of aspiration, relevance and compassion that understands how we can deliver more of what small business owners, nurses, teachers, parents, carers and communities really need. "That is why, this weekend, we…
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23Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Government refuse to address evictions loophole leaving 55,000 households at risk

Government refuse to address evictions loophole leaving 55,000 households at risk

Parliamentary news
Today, the Conservatives blocked the Liberal Democrats' attempt to close the loophole in the Government's legislation to end the eviction ban, which has left an estimated 55,000 households at risk of being evicted since Monday. The motion, put forward by the Liberal Democrat Housing spokesperson in the House of Lords, Baroness Grender, would have effectively abolished the Government's Statutory Instrument, forcing Ministers to address the issue. The motion was defeated 126 votes to 266. Following the vote, Baroness Grender said: “The subject of this vote today was 55,000 households teetering on the brink of eviction. The Conservatives promised that no renter who has lost income due to coronavirus would lose their home, but now all it takes is for a landlord to reinvoke an eviction notice and these families will…
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22Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
PM must fix the test and trace system

PM must fix the test and trace system

Parliamentary news
Responding to the news that the Covid19 threat level has gone from three to four, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: "The Coronavirus crisis is taking an enormous toll on people. People are rightly concerned about their loved ones. Thousands of families are facing financial hardship. We all want life to get back to normal as soon as possible. "The collapse of the Test and Trace system is utterly inexcusable, and the first objective of the Government must be to fix it. Ministers should have done more to ensure resilience in the system given the inevitable increase in demand when people returned to schools, workplaces, universities and social settings. "As the situation changes there must be crystal clear guidance so that people know the best ways to protect…
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