30Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Government must provide vital clarity on community testing

Government must provide vital clarity on community testing

Parliamentary news
Following the Health Secretary's press conference this afternoon, Liberal Democrat Health, Care and Wellbeing spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “Although Matt Hancock's promise that the Government now has the virus “back under control” may bring comfort to some, it will predominantly remind the public of just how out of control cases of coronavirus became on his watch. The failure by Ministers to prevent a second wave, which has taken a huge toll on both lives and livelihoods right across the UK, is utterly shameful. "Community testing was supposed to be the passport out of tier 3, yet today we have heard some areas may not get access to this testing until the end of January. We need much more clarity about which areas will receive mass testing when, and this must…
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30Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Last orders for many Oldham pubs

Last orders for many Oldham pubs

Borough news
Oldham publicans will be able to summon up little festive cheer as they face a bleak mid-winter with the latest Christmas lockdown. In a speech in Parliament last week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock MP announced that the Borough will be in Tier-3 once the national lockdown ends at midnight on December 2 meaning that for the foreseeable future no pubs will be able to open. It is also unlikely to change when this is first reviewed in two weeks. The Oldham Liberal Democrats are concerned that for many struggling pubs another lockdown over what should be for publicans the busiest trading period of the year will lead to permanent closure. Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, wants to see the government do more to help struggling pubs. He…
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27Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Test, trace and isolate failure is cause for restrictions

Test, trace and isolate failure is cause for restrictions

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Government setting out England's new coronavirus tiers, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “The country is desperate to get life back to normal, particularly given how much has already been sacrificed, so people will understandably be angry today. “For months, Liberal Democrats have been urging the Government to get to grips with test, trace and isolate. Getting that right is the best hope we have until a vaccine is ready. Their failure to deliver is why we are where we are. "Given less than 50% of people understood the rules last time, it is clear the Government has created confusion with their botched communications. In addition to much needed mass testing, Ministers must listen to local authorities and finally start being clear and honest with the…
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26Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Front line health workers, carers and relatives of care home residents must be top priority in mass testing

Front line health workers, carers and relatives of care home residents must be top priority in mass testing

Borough news
The Oldham Council Liberal Democrat Group wants to see front line health and care workers and the relatives of care home residents given top priority when mass COVID-19 testing is rolled out across Oldham. The Government has announced that Oldham will be one of 67 new areas to be targeted for mass testing because of the high number of new cases detected each week in the Borough. Testing the front line health and care workers in our National Health Service and care homes who are leading the fight to save the lives and alleviate the suffering of others from this terrible disease must, for the Liberal Democrats, be an absolute priority, but Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, makes a plea for a third category of our residents not be…
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25Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Four nation approach is our Union in action

Four nation approach is our Union in action

Parliamentary news
Responding to the news that the four governments of the UK have have agreed a shared approach to the festive period, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “It is welcome that the four nations have answered Liberal Democrat calls for a common approach to the festive period. “This is the Union in action - working together as a family of nations and finding solutions. “I hope the four governments now work together to roll out the vaccine, help the most vulnerable in our country and support businesses to save jobs.”
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24Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Latest COVID move could spell sad end for Shaw Market

Borough news
At the start of the latest lockdown, Shaw market traders were moved off Market Street onto Newtown Street, and the move is killing trade and is not supported by the Council. Shaw Liberal Democrat Councillor Howard Sykes MBE has received reports that Oldham Council has failed to provide stall holders with tables and awnings, and that there has been no signage placed along the main street to say where the Market is. Traders cannot easily highlight their presence as the Council has not dropped the bollards, so they are unable to move forward a little to locate their stalls on the edge of Market Street. Councillor Sykes said: “If there was a textbook strategy of how to destroy a local market, the shameful conduct of Oldham’s Labour Administration towards Shaw…
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24Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Davey: Government cannot allow repeat tragedy in care homes

Davey: Government cannot allow repeat tragedy in care homes

Parliamentary news
Following the Prime Minister's press conference , Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “Mass testing and vaccines are hugely welcome and bring hope for a return to normal life at long last. And I’m pleased governments across the four nations listened to the Liberal Democrat call for a UK wide approach to the festive period. "But it’s so wrong that the Prime Minister still refuses to help the millions of self-employed people excluded from any support for the entirety of this crisis. "Equally, to avoid a wide scale repeat of the earlier tragedy in our care homes, Ministers must guarantee that no care homes are being forced to admit people who are COVID positive.”
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22Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Spending review an opportunity for Sunak to plug gaping holes in Government support

Spending review an opportunity for Sunak to plug gaping holes in Government support

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Chancellor's comments this morning, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “From the very beginning of the pandemic, Rishi Sunak has been slow to act and allowed millions of people to fall through the cracks. With tougher tiered restrictions on the cards as lockdown ends in December, many will now be worried that once again they will be left behind by this Government. "Ultimately it is the Government's failure to get a grip on the pandemic which has led to the lockdown measures, and the consequences of these failures will continue to devastate people's finances well into the new year. The spending review next week gives the Chancellor the opportunity to fix the gaping holes in the Government’s support and he must take it. “The Liberal Democrats…
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20Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrats welcome Covid mass testing in Oldham

Liberal Democrats welcome Covid mass testing in Oldham

Borough news
The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has welcomed the recent announcement that Oldham will be one of 67 new areas to follow Liverpool as locations for mass testing for Covid-19. Councillor Sykes said: “Tragically Oldham has suffered the highest levels of detected new cases of Covid-19 per head of population in the UK in recent weeks. Mass testing in Liverpool has shown that some residents can unknowingly transmit Covid-19 to others by being asymptomatic carriers. “Mass testing will enable us to identify, isolate and support such individuals, as well as those persons who are suffering the actual symptoms of the disease. If we pull together by participating in testing, and by isolating if we receive a positive result, we can all help reduce further transmissions of Covid-19…
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18Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Report suggesting contract favours for those with “direct line to Ministers” demands inquiry

Report suggesting contract favours for those with “direct line to Ministers” demands inquiry

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have demanded a timetable for an inquiry into the Government's handling of the pandemic following the publication of an NAO report which revealed that Ministers agreed £18bn worth of supplies and services which bypassed usual standards for procurement. Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “It is utterly galling the Government has sidestepped accountability and transparency rules. In no world is it fair that bids with a direct line to Ministers were ten times more successful. “The Tories have left themselves wide open to serious and legitimate allegations that they have chosen to line the pockets of friends and donors. “The British people deserve clear, honest answers. Now more than ever we need a timetable for the inquiry into the government's handling of the pandemic.”
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