21May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

PM backs Lib Dem calls for COVID hero honours round

Parliamentary news
The Government has announced today that it will issue a special honours list in Autumn, following Jamie Stone's calls to the Prime Minister asking for an additional honours round to celebrate coronavirus heroes.  In his initial letter, Jamie Stone made it clear that any honours round must go alongside an independent review of the salaries paid to those working on on the frontlines of the crisis. Despite taking up the idea to introduce an honours round, the Prime Minister has not announced a salary review for key workers.   Responding to the announcement, Jamie Stone said: “It is great to see the Prime Minister has listened to the calls to officially recognise the bravery of our Coronavirus heroes this autumn.  “However, these honours cannot ever be a substitute for properly paying those working on the frontline. There…
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21May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government has serious questions to answer over app delays

Parliamentary news
Responding to the daily press conference led by the DCMS Secretary and reports that the NHSX app will not be ready for 1 June, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Daisy Cooper, said: “With the Coronavirus crisis leaving the most vulnerable at risk, the Government continues to waste valuable time and undermine public confidence by experimenting with a new tracing app when there are already effective models it could and should use. “An app alone will not bring an end to the lockdown, but a safe and effective app could play a role in keeping people safe with a strategy to test, trace and isolate. “The Prime Minister and his Government have serious questions to answer about these delays. To restore public confidence and get a grip of the virus,…
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21May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems: Charities need a multi-billion pound package to survive

Parliamentary news
Responding to the announcement that the Government has released £150 million in funding raised through dormant bank accounts for charities, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Daisy Cooper, said: “Charities and voluntary organisations play a crucial role helping the most vulnerable in our society and will be absolutely vital as this crisis continues. But charities have seen their incomes plummet, meaning many face extinction just when we need them most. “It’s been six weeks now since the Chancellor announced funding support for charities, but it is taking far too long for that money to get to the organisations that need it. Charities across the country are warning that if the Government does not get this money to them urgently, they will simply not recover and their invaluable contributions to our communities…
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21May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government warned Councils are struggling to cope with homelessness

Parliamentary news
Responding to new figures on homelessness in England released by the Government today, Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran said: “The Coronavirus crisis is an unprecedented threat. It is leaving the most vulnerable in our communities at risk and it is our duty to ensure no one is left behind. “The scale of people who find themselves homeless is heartbreaking. Ministers must wake up, realise Councils are struggling to cope and commit funding to end this national shame once and for all. “That’s why Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to protect emergency funding for local authorities to accommodate rough sleepers and extend measures to block evictions for as long as is necessary to enable people to get back on their feet.”
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21May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must reimburse missed tuition to student nurses called up to the frontline

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have called on the government to reimburse student nurses for the tuition of their final term of teaching they have missed due to working on the frontline. The letter to Matt Hancock from Liberal Democrat MPs Layla Moran, Munira Wilson and Sarah Olney states “given the financial hardship final year nurses have faced, and the commitment they have shown to serving the NHS during this pandemic, we ask that the Government directly reimburse student nurses for their final term of tuition fees.” Following the letter, Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney said: “Many student nurses have heroically stepped up to the frontline during the coronavirus crisis. Instead of having their final term of teaching, they are working to save lives in the midst of an unprecedented global pandemic. “However, they…
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19May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems launch calls for more mental health support for health and care staff in Oldham

Borough news, Campaigns
The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to ramp up mental health support for health and care staff in Oldham to ensure “world-class” support for those tackling the virus head on. Highlighting the “deep scar” coronavirus will leave on health and care staff in Oldham, the local Liberal Democrats have put forward a package of mental health measures, including:  24/7 access to mental health support for health and social care workers, through a dedicated helplineGuarantees that health and care staff will no longer be penalised for time off due to mental or physical ill health, including when transitioning between rolesIntroduce an ‘occupational health passport’ so workers do not have to relive mental health traumas when they change jobs.Additional training to ensure there are mental health first-aiders in every health and care workforceSteps to standardise…
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19May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems lead cross party push to keep pubs in business

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are at the forefront of a cross party call to protect pubs in the face of the “unique combination of challenges” created by the Covid-19 crisis. Liberal Democrat MP Daisy Cooper, alongside MPs from the Tory, Labour, SNP, Plaid Cymru and Green parties, are calling for Ministers to ensure pubs  - a “cornerstone of British culture” - are in a position to reopen once social distancing measures are eased. The group have written to the Chancellor to demand bespoke support for the industry including calls to:  Scrap the £51,000 Rateable Value cap for pubs, allowing pubs to access the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund.Stop pubco landlords from charging rent to their tenants through the crisis.Extend the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for the hospitality sector for the duration of…
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19May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must increase testing capacity to maintain credibility

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports that everyone over age of five in the UK with symptoms can now be tested for coronavirus, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “The coronavirus crisis is leaving the most vulnerable at risk. Thousands of families will face financial hardship and people are rightly worried about their loved ones. “The move towards testing everyone over the age of five with symptoms is welcome. However, Ministers must explain why the level of testing is still so low compared to some countries, what is being done to increase capacity, particularly in care homes, and to speed up processing of results. “We must ensure no one is left behind as we tackle this cruel virus. We cannot afford to see Ministers throw away valuable time, as we have seen…
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19May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must not be allowed to forget unacceptable five week wait for UC

Parliamentary news
Responding to ONS statistics out today which reveal a rise in unemployment and a six fold increase in the number of people claiming unemployment benefit, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “The Coronavirus crisis is leaving the most vulnerable at risk. Thousands of families face financial hardship and people are rightly worried.  “The furlough scheme has rightly helped protect jobs but there are still millions of people that need help. That’s why Liberal Democrats are urging the Government to prevent further redundancies by extending income support for self-employed workers. “Ministers must also not be allowed to forget the unacceptable five week wait for universal credit support. The Government must end this wait by raising benefit rates, abolishing sanctions and turning day-one Universal Credit loans into grants.”
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19May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must get a grip on coronavirus crisis to prevent further deaths

Parliamentary news
Responding to the figures published by the ONS showing that there have been more than 44,000 coronavirus-related deaths in the UK, Liberal Democrat Health, Wellbeing and Social Care spokesperson, Munira Wilson, said: “Hearing that the number or coronavirus-related deaths is now more than 44,000, including 9,980 deaths which took place in care homes in England and Wales, the British public will rightly be appalled.  “The Government has failed to protect some of the most vulnerable people in our society from coronavirus. For Ministers to keep trying to claim they put a 'protective ring' around care homes is not only false, but will be regarded by many as only adding further insult to all those grieving the loss of a loved one. “Government Ministers must now be frank with the British…
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