21Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Government must stop playing politics with lives and livelihoods

Government must stop playing politics with lives and livelihoods

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Prime Minister's announcement that Manchester will face tier 3 restrictions from Friday, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “The utter mess the Government has created today came as a result of a shameful plan to wipe millions of pounds of support away as a punishment. This Government is hurting some of the most vulnerable people in our society by playing politics with the lives and livelihoods of the people of Greater Manchester. “People across the country will be watching in alarm, under no illusion that the Prime Minister and the Chancellor will not be there for them to ensure they can financially survive the coming months. “Boris Johnson must swallow his pride and bring back furlough and give communities the funds they need to survive…
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18Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Gove’s comments show Government’s refusal to prioritise test and trace overhaul

Gove’s comments show Government’s refusal to prioritise test and trace overhaul

Parliamentary news
Responding to Michael Gove's appearance on the Andrew Marr Show this morning, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “Michael Gove’s comments this morning are just more evidence of a government in utter denial. The continued refusal from Ministers to overhaul the failing test, trace and isolate system is not only pig-headed, but incredibly reckless. “If the Government does not prioritise fixing the broken test, trace and isolate system, the new restrictions being put in place around the country will do very little on their own to help the Government get a grip on this second wave. An effective test, trace and isolate system is fundamental to keeping people safe. “The decision to hand over people’s coronavirus test data to the police will just further undermine the test and…
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18Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
PM must get a grip of coronavirus spread in the North

PM must get a grip of coronavirus spread in the North

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrats from across the North of England, including four council leaders, Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron, and Liberal Democrat Leader in the Lords Dick Newby, have written to the Prime Minister stating that the North has been “overlooked by a London-centric government”.  The letter calls for a raft measures to be implemented urgently to help stop the spread of the virus across vast swathes of the country.Some of the measures include: Rapidly funding local authorities to enable a local scale-up of the failing test, trace and isolate systemIncreasing support for those who need to self-isolate and cannot work from homeExpanding furlough support until June 2021 Following the letter, Laura Gordon, Chair of the Northern Liberal Network, said: “The Government's strategy so far has failed. Restrictions in areas like Greater Manchester and the North East have been in…
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15Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrats backing calls for care home window visits

Liberal Democrats backing calls for care home window visits

Borough news
With rumours swirling around whether Greater Manchester will move into Tier 3 of the new warning systems, Liberal Democrat Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani is backing calls for local and national Government to ensure that “window visits” and end-of-life visiting rules are revised to ensure that families get to ensure the care and emotional support that they need. Window visits are conducted on care homes where families are on the grounds, and their relatives stay indoors – they can see each other and hold a real conversation, but the windows reduce the risk of passing on infections. Councillor Al-Hamdani said: “I have spoken to local residents who have not been able to offer grandparents the support and love that they need. I absolutely agree with the need to control this virus, but we…
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15Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Government must follow Wales and guarantee free schools meals over holidays

Government must follow Wales and guarantee free schools meals over holidays

Parliamentary news
Responding to the announcement that the Welsh Government has guaranteed free school meal provision for all school holidays up to and including Easter 2021, thanks to £11m confirmed today by Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Daisy Cooper said: “This decision by Liberal Democrat Kirsty Williams is wonderful news and will really ease the worries of thousands of parents in Wales as they look ahead to the uncertainty of the next six months. "It is essential that Conservative Ministers in Westminster follow the Liberal Democrats lead in Wales, and agree to extend free school meals to holidays in England. It would be simply unforgivable to let children go hungry this winter. "We know that giving school children a hot, healthy meal at lunchtime greatly improves their health,…
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13Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Rising unemployment shows Chancellor must do more

Rising unemployment shows Chancellor must do more

Parliamentary news
Responding to the statistics released this morning showing that unemployment has reached 4.5%, the highest level in over three years, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “Today's figures throw into stark and depressing relief the scale of the issues facing families and businesses and act as a reminder that the Chancellor must extend more help. “Liberal Democrats have warned that by prematurely ending the Furlough scheme, this Government is potentially leaving thousands to face ruin. “Responsibility sits squarely on the Chancellor’s shoulders. Instead of dismissing lost jobs as not viable, he should be working day and night to protect people's livelihoods. “Generations will judge whether this Government has taken every conceivable step to protect people’s’ livelihoods and futures, or tossed them on the unemployment pile marked non-viable.”
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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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09Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Slow economic growth reinforces need for furlough extension

Slow economic growth reinforces need for furlough extension

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to extend furlough as new figures reveal growth in August was slower than the expansion seen in both June and July. Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “These figures make it clear that despite the massive effort people have made to fight this virus and its economic implications, the road to recovery is going to be rockier than we feared. “The Chancellor has to recognise that people, businesses and the economy need more support than he is currently offering. Furlough has to be extended until next June and broadened to support everyone. “It’s not good enough for the Chancellor to say dismissively that he can’t protect every job, because frankly it’s his job to try to do exactly that and make…
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09Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group at risk of collapse shows need for furlough extension

Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group at risk of collapse shows need for furlough extension

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports that Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group is at risk of collapsing after it filed a notice to appoint administrators, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “The fact that thousands of jobs are at risk as Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group faces collapse clearly underlines the extent of the challenge to businesses across the UK and to all of those struggling to get by. "Rishi Sunak cannot simply dismiss those struggling as not viable, and pretend that somehow the economy is on anything like a path to reopening. "The Chancellor must announce today a guarantee of more support for those who desperately need it, including extending furlough until next June and broadening it to support everyone. If the Government doesn't roll out more support these job losses will just…
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07Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Common-sense for public sector staff to be able to access Covid-19 App

Common-sense for public sector staff to be able to access Covid-19 App

Borough news
Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, was disappointed to discover recently that his Oldham Council-issued business smart phone would not permit him to download the new Government recommended Track and Trace Covid-19 App without special permission.  He has now contacted senior officers at the Council to suggest that the App be allowed to be downloaded onto every Council-electronic device used by its employees.  This suggestion is now being rolled out across the board. But Councillor Sykes has now gone one further.  He has written to Dr Carolyn Wilkins OBE, who in addition to being Chief Executive at Oldham Council, is the national officer lead on Track and Trace, to request that all public sector organisations in Oldham also ensure that their employees will also be able to access…
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