07Aug 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Failure to sack Cummings shows PM’s “weakness and incompetence”

Parliamentary news
Responding to a new report from University College London showing that public confidence in the UK Government's ability to handle the coronavirus pandemic dropped sharply following news about the travel movements of the Prime Minister's Chief Adviser Dominic Cummings, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “Millions of people across the UK have made heart-breaking sacrifices to comply with the lockdown and help keep others safe from coronavirus. They were rightly outraged when Boris Johnson’s Chief Adviser thought it was one rule for him and another rule for the rest of us, and it’s not surprising people have since lost trust in this Government. “It’s insulting that Dominic Cummings still hasn’t apologised, and that Boris Johnson hasn’t sacked him. The Prime Minister has chosen saving his adviser over…
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03Aug 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Davey: Financial support crucial in light of further lockdown

Parliamentary news
Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “The Government’s communications over the past few days have been woefully incompetent to say the least. Individuals have no idea of the rules, let alone the reasoning behind some of them. “Of course the Government need to move quickly to stop the spread of coronavirus, but this does not excuse their shambolic approach. Without clear messaging, people will not be able to follow the rules properly. “Going forward, it is clear businesses and individuals will need further financial support from the Government. By not only ending the furlough scheme, but the financial support for all those shielding, millions of people are faced with risking their health in returning to work when it isn’t safe or not being able to put food…
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03Aug 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Johnson and Cummings acting like despots with plans to restrict judicial review

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Government’s announcement of an Independent Review of Administrative Law to consider restrictions to judicial review powers, Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson Daisy Cooper said: “From failings in universal credit, disability rights and safeguarding, British citizens have used judicial review as a powerful tool to take the Government to court over its failings. "Threatening to weaken people’s ability to challenge the Government because the courts sometimes rule against you is the act of dictators and despots, not democrats. "With these plans, Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings are trying to enable the Government to ride roughshod over people’s rights and allow Ministers to break the law with impunity. "Liberal Democrats will always defend individuals’ abilities to challenge the Government and uphold their rights. We will not stand by and allow…
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03Aug 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems: Government have deserted care homes entirely

Parliamentary news
Responding to the reports that the Government has abandoned their pledge to test all care home residents regularly throughout the summer, Liberal Democrat Health, Wellbeing and Social Care spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “The decision to drop the pledge to test all care home residents regularly would be a decision to desert care home residents entirely. The reports today, if true, are sadly just another example of a Government that is either woefully incompetent or one that simply doesn’t care. "The Government has made clear right throughout the coronavirus crisis that protecting those in our care homes is not a priority for them - from the beginning of the crisis, Ministers failed to equip care homes with sufficient testing and PPE, whilst discharging patients with the virus into their homes. "The…
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30Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Leaked letter shows thousands of care home residents being exposed to virus

Parliamentary news
Responding to a leaked letter from Care UK showing that they no longer have access to regular testing for staff and residents, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “If we needed any evidence that this Government is still throwing care homes to the wolves, then this is it. From the very beginning of the pandemic this Government failed to ensure care homes had access to adequate testing and PPE, whilst discharging patients with the virus into their homes. "This letter is damning. With a potential second peak on the horizon, the UK's largest provider of social care no longer having access to regular testing for staff and residents will leave thousands of our most vulnerable exposed to coronavirus. "The Prime Minister and his Government are not learning the lessons they need to if…
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25Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

PM’s refusal to learn lessons shows why immediate inquiry is essential

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Prime Minister's interview with Laura Kuenssberg broadcast this afternoon, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “At last Boris Johnson has admitted what we have all known for sometime - this Government made fundamental mistakes in their handling of the coronavirus crisis. However, to try and minimise this as there were some things they could have done differently is not only an enormous understatement, but it is an insult to all those who tragically lost loved ones to the virus. "This interview has left people with more questions than answers. With no remorse for the catastrophic mistakes, such as the failure to protect our care homes, or the refusal to put a comprehensive plan in place for a potential second wave, it is clear the…
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23Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lack of economic planning for a pandemic highlights govt failures

Parliamentary news
Responding to a Public Accounts Committee report published today that finds an “astonishing” failure on the part of the Government to prepare for the economic impact of a pandemic, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “Everyone agrees that COVID-19 is an unprecedented challenge, but the Government’s failure to ensure there was a contingency plan at the ready has left thousands of families with no help whatsoever, and thousands of businesses making redundancies or closing down. “Considering that pandemics are one of the key risks any Government plans for, if there had have been a proper plan in place implemented quickly, we could have saved thousands more livelihoods. “This makes an independent inquiry into this Government’s handling of the pandemic more urgent than ever. The Liberal Democrats were…
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22Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

PM must announce a full investigation into potential Russian interference of our democracy

Parliamentary news
Responding to Intelligence and Security Committee’s long-delayed Russia report which has concluded the Government failed to prepare or conduct any proper assessment of Russian interference with the 2016 Brexit referendum, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said: “This watershed report confirms an alarming truth: this Conservative Government has failed to take the Russian threat to our democracy seriously, even despite the clear evidence they interfered to help Donald Trump to the presidency in 2016. “The first duty of government is to protect its citizens. However, the Conservatives have been found asleep at their post with their failure to conduct an assessment of Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit referendum. “The protection of our democracy should never come second to the Tories covering their embarrassing connections to Russian oligarchs before an…
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22Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Braverman must apologise for endorsing Cummings

Parliamentary news
Responding to Suella Braverman's appearance in front of the Justice Select Committee, Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson Daisy Cooper said: “The public must be able to have confidence that the Attorney General is providing honest and impartial legal advice to the Government. “The Attorney General undermined public confidence by wading into the Cummings scandal for no reason other than to please No 10. It’s appalling that she still doesn’t seem to understand why what she did was wrong. “When Suella Braverman was appointed, there were concerns that she would not stand up to No 10 and would put political interests ahead of the rule of law. Sadly, her craven endorsement of Dominic Cummings’ incoherent excuses for breaking the lockdown – and her refusal to apologise for it now – confirms those fears.”
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20Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Test and trace privacy fiasco yet another blunder by Ministers

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports that privacy campaigners have accused the Government's test and trace programme of breaking data protection laws, Liberal Democrat Health, Wellbeing and Social Care spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “The fact that the Government have potentially broken the law is just another example of Ministers’ disastrous handling of test and trace. For the Department of Health to admit there was no consideration on the impact this would have on our privacy shows that this Government is simply walking into blunder after blunder, failing to get a grip on this crisis. "Of course mass testing, contact tracing and isolation at the community level for those who test positive, is the only safe way out of lockdown, but protecting individuals’ privacy remains of the utmost importance. "The Liberal Democrats have been clear that…
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