27Dec 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Schools opening in January: Parents need clear plan not empty promises

Schools opening in January: Parents need clear plan not empty promises

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have called on the government to set out a clear plan to keep schools open in January. It comes following reports in the Sunday Times that Boris Johnson has committed to keeping schools open, without making clear what mitigation measures will be put in place to keep Covid cases down. Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Munira Wilson MP said: "Our children have been failed again and again throughout this pandemic by Boris Johnson's government. Of course schools should stay open but he needs to explain how and with what help for teachers and parents. "From air purifiers to rolling out the vaccine to teenagers, this government has dragged its feet. Ministers must set out a clear plan to reassure families that schools will be kept open, instead of…
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23Dec 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Bring back volunteering leave scheme to help booster rollout

Bring back volunteering leave scheme to help booster rollout

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have demanded the government urgently introduce an Emergency Volunteering Leave scheme, to allow people to take paid time off work to help with the booster rollout and support the NHS over the Christmas period. The proposed scheme would allow people to take between two and four weeks of unpaid leave to help with the vaccine rollout, taking on roles such as vaccinators, stewards and administrative staff. The Government would have to compensate volunteers for loss of earnings and other expenses, such as travel and food. A law that would have enabled an Emergency Volunteering Leave scheme was scrapped by the government in July 2021, after ministers claimed there was “sufficient current supply of staff and volunteers in the health and care system.” The Liberal Democrats said it…
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23Dec 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Sajid Javid must guarantee emergency care over Christmas period

Sajid Javid must guarantee emergency care over Christmas period

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have called on Health Secretary Sajid Javid to guarantee that everyone will be able to access the emergency care they need over the festive period, and provide a rescue plan to support A&E services. It comes amid concerns over the crippling staff shortages in the NHS with the Royal College of Physicians warning one in ten doctors are already off with Covid. The Christmas period is often one of the busiest times of year for A&Es, but hospitals are facing even more pressure this year as the surge in the Omicron variant means thousands of staff are set to be absent. Ambulance services which were already on their highest level of alert are also struggling with the impact of staff being off with Covid. Liberal Democrat Health…
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21Dec 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Hospitality fund reaction: Insult to pubs and restaurants on the brink

Hospitality fund reaction: Insult to pubs and restaurants on the brink

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Chancellor announcing a new package of support for hospitality businesses, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said: "This is an insult to pubs and restaurants on the brink. The Chancellor must be living on another planet if he thinks this will be enough to save hospitality firms who have seen their Christmas bookings fall off the cliff in recent weeks. "It is simply far too little, too late for too few. "The Conservatives have buried themselves in their bunker, trying to save themselves rather than save the country from an economic crisis which is hitting family run businesses the hardest. This miserable offering will do nothing to reboot our economy and will fail to save thousands of independent businesses. "Instead of this feeble one off grant,…
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19Dec 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Ministers must come clean on Omicron and Christmas

Ministers must come clean on Omicron and Christmas

Parliamentary news
Commenting ahead of the Cabinet meeting this afternoon to discuss the Omicron variant, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said: “In light of the dire warnings from the BMA, the Government must come clean with the public about what Omicron means for Christmas. "Ministers must act now to protect NHS staff and ensure that urgent NHS services are available to everyone over the Christmas period. The Government should explain what additional public health protections are needed to bring the NHS back from the brink of collapse, and urgently get support to struggling businesses. “Everyone wants to have a safe Christmas with their family. But they also want to be confident the Government has a clear plan to protect our NHS and ensure emergency care remains available to all those…
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16Dec 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Don’t close Parliament until pub bailout deal agreed

Don’t close Parliament until pub bailout deal agreed

Parliamentary news
With hospitality businesses on the brink following the spread of the Omicron variant, the Liberal Democrats are calling on Parliament to sit tomorrow to pass new support measures. Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain MP is demanding Parliament sit in a hybrid session to allow MPs with Covid to attend virtually, to reduce the further spread of Covid in Westminster. Wendy made the demand to Leader of the House, Jacob Rees-Mogg, during questions in the chamber. Last week, the Liberal Democrats called for taxes to be slashed on high street businesses and the Government to convene urgent meetings with business groups to bring in whatever support package they need.Calling for MPs to continue Parliament’s session until new business measures are passed, Wendy Chamberlain MP said: “MPs should not break up…
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15Dec 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Only 1-in-3 pharmacies in England wanting to give booster jabs get go-ahead

Only 1-in-3 pharmacies in England wanting to give booster jabs get go-ahead

Parliamentary news
Fewer than one third of the 4,733 pharmacies that applied to take part in the booster vaccination programme have been accepted, figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats have revealed. Some pharmacies are waiting up to eleven weeks to be approved to give out Covid vaccines and booster jabs. If that wait was repeated from today, a pharmacy would not be able to provide vaccinations until March next year. By the end of September 2021, fewer than one third of the 4,733 pharmacies that applied to take part in the booster vaccination programme had been accepted. Of these, just 1,336 community pharmacy vaccination sites were actively providing the service as of 3 December. The figures were provided in response to a parliamentary question tabled by Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper…
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14Dec 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Sunak must come out of hiding and slash taxes on high street to prevent winter collapse

Sunak must come out of hiding and slash taxes on high street to prevent winter collapse

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have urged the Chancellor to "come out of hiding" and support high street businesses struggling with the impact of the new Omicron variant. The party is calling for an urgent £4.5 billion package of tax cuts for local businesses to help ailing high streets across the UK survive the winter. This package would see the reinstatement of the emergency 5% rate of VAT for hospitality, accommodation and attractions and 100% business rates relief for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors. These changes would offer a vital lifeline to over 800,000 businesses, who are looking ahead to another bleak winter - with increasing Covid restrictions hampering their ability to operate and trade normally. The Government has so far refused to offer any additional support for businesses despite the…
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14Dec 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Zahawi on Marr: Schools crisis slipping from his grasp

Zahawi on Marr: Schools crisis slipping from his grasp

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Education Secretary’s failure this morning to guarantee that schools will not close this winter - nor reopen in the new year - in the face of the Omicron variant, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Munira Wilson MP said: “This failure to provide a cast-iron guarantee to parents, teachers and children on keeping our schools open just about says it all about this Government and their priorities. “Time and time again, our children have been badly let down by the Government’s inability to get on top of Covid. The Education Secretary promised to “get a grip” of this crisis, but all evidence suggests that it's slipping from his grasp as students miss out on millions of hours of lost learning every week. “Both pupil and teacher absences are through…
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14Dec 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
PM ‘moving the goalposts’ on booster jabs

PM ‘moving the goalposts’ on booster jabs

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Department of Health rowing back on the Prime Minister's promise for everyone to 'get their booster before the New Year', Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said: "Boris Johnson’s panicked announcement has once again caused chaos and confusion. Last night he promised people they could get a booster before the New Year, now ministers are moving the goalposts and saying people will only be offered one by then. “Their failure to prepare properly now means that NHS websites have crashed, lateral flow tests are running out, and everyone working to get people vaccinated have been left scrambling to fix a mess of the government’s own making. “Many patients are worried about what this means for their treatment in the coming weeks and whether they’ll actually be…
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