02Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
‘Could do better’, Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader’s verdict on so called full school opening plans

‘Could do better’, Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader’s verdict on so called full school opening plans

Borough news
With one week to go, Conservative Government plans to reopen schools fail to pass muster, says Liberal Democrat Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE. “Whilst we all want to see all our children back at their desks, a return to school must be safe for our children, our teachers and our other school staff,” said Councillor Sykes. “Parents will rightly want to have the assurance that the government is not simply rushing into things just to satisfy a deadline on the Prime Minister’s ‘roadmap’ and that our children’s health will in no way be compromised by a March 8 return to the classroom.” The Oldham Liberal Democrats believe that the government has a whole series of questions to answer before it can pass the test: How can we be sure that…
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25Feb 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Exams: Williamson has failed to show leadership

Exams: Williamson has failed to show leadership

Parliamentary news
Responding to the announcement that A level and GCSE results are to be decided by teaches, Daisy Cooper MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Education, commented: “Parents, teachers and pupils have been left in limbo for months because the Government has dithered and delayed about how to carry out assessments this year. Liberal Democrats led the calls for exams to be cancelled as soon as it was clear that holding traditional exams in a way which would be fair to all pupils would be impossible, given the very different experiences pupils have had of the pandemic and school closures. Kirsty Williams, the Liberal Democrat Education Minister in the Welsh Government, confirmed in November last year that assessments would not go ahead in the usual way. By contrast, this government has needlessly…
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24Feb 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Summer catch-up schools: Government must do more for young people’s wellbeing

Summer catch-up schools: Government must do more for young people’s wellbeing

Parliamentary news
Responding to the announcement of the Government's plans for summer catch-up schools, Daisy Cooper MP, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Education said: “The Liberal Democrats have been calling on the Government to set out ambitious plans to support young people with both educational and emotional recovery as schools reopen. "Without this we could see a lost generation, who will feel the impact of the disruption caused by the pandemic, for years to come. "Government must remember that it isn't just lessons young people have missed out on through school closures. They have missed time playing and socialising with their friends, spending months cut off from in-person contact with their peers. "There are widespread reports of the devastating impact this has had on young people's mental and emotional wellbeing. Parents will want…
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18Feb 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
UCAS response: Govt must step up on student mental health

UCAS response: Govt must step up on student mental health

Parliamentary news
Responding to today's UCAS figures*, finding student application numbers rising, particularly in health courses, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson, Daisy Cooper MP, said: “Record numbers applying for health courses is a real sign of hope for Britain. Not only have younger people seen the extraordinary commitment of front-line workers during this pandemic, but they now want to follow in their footsteps. "But it’s clear that the continuing pandemic and its after-effects are going to unleash a tsunami of mental ill health for those who have served on the NHS and care front-line. It's vital that the government steps up to support new health students as they enter one of the most challenging times in the history” *Please find UCAS figures here:https://www.ucas.com/corporate/news-and-key-documents/news/nursing-applications-soar-ucas-publishes-latest-undergraduate-applicant-analysis
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25Jan 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Schools short-changed on ‘Covid-safe’ costs by Conservative Government

Schools short-changed on ‘Covid-safe’ costs by Conservative Government

Saddleworth News
The Conservative Government will only reimburse less than one-third of the overall costs incurred by English schools in making their premises ‘Covid-safe’ according to a publication published last month by a leading education think-tank. A report issued by the Education Policy Institute claims that government money made available through its exceptional costs fund will only cover 31% of overall costs, and in a survey covering 700 schools conducted in November, over half (57%) reported that they are using reserves to cover the shortfall, jeopardising their ability to achieve a balanced budget by the end of the current financial year. The EPI estimates that, since the first national lockdown in March 2020, primary schools have had to meet additional non-staff costs averaging almost £13,000. These amounted to almost £18,000 for special…
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06Jan 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Teachers must be vaccinated to protect them against coronavirus

Teachers must be vaccinated to protect them against coronavirus

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have called for teachers to be vaccinated against coronavirus after the government admitted schools were the epicentre of high community transmission. Daisy Cooper, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Education, has written a letter to Gavin Williamson and Matt Hancock to ask them to vaccinate teachers as part of category seven. This would make them a top priority after everyone working in the NHS and social care and those most at risk by virtue of their age, being clinically vulnerable or having an underlying health condition. It comes as the Secretary of State for Education announced that teachers' estimated grades will replace GCSE and A-level results. Daisy Cooper, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Education, said: “Teachers and school staff have put themselves at enormous risk during this pandemic in order…
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10Nov 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Williamson must follow Welsh Government and cancel 2021 exams

Williamson must follow Welsh Government and cancel 2021 exams

Parliamentary news
Responding to the reports that Liberal Democrat Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams has announced that they are cancelling GCSE, AS and A-level exams in 2021, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Daisy Cooper said: “The ongoing disruption of coronavirus on education means it is now impossible to guarantee a level playing field for students in exams. Many teachers are also saying it is now impossible to teach the content needed for next summer's exams. “The Liberal Democrats have been clear that rather leaving pupils under a cloud of uncertainty and making yet more last minute decisions, the Government must cancel GCSE and A-level exams in summer 2021 and make necessary adjustments to assessing BTECs. “In cancelling next year's exams, Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams is giving schools the certainty they need, whilst…
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30Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Liberal Democrats want to make street harassment a crime

Liberal Democrats want to make street harassment a crime

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence
Oldham Council’s Liberal Democrats want to see street harassment of women and girls made a crime, as it is in Portugal, Belgium and France. Saddleworth and Lees Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani is taking a motion on this issue to the next meeting of the full Council (Wednesday November 4). Councillor Al-Hamdani said: “Everyone should feel safe on our streets and in our communities, yet in national surveys two-thirds of women and girls report that they have been subjected to street harassment. We all the right to self-respect, and to freedom of movement and freedom of expression, yet women and girls are intimidated by this unwanted personal sexual attention. It is frightening and as a result some choose not to go out or do not feel able to be themselves. “I want…
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25Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Tories must “wake up to reality” and do the right thing on Free School Meals

Tories must “wake up to reality” and do the right thing on Free School Meals

Parliamentary news
Responding to comments from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, speaking on today's Andrew Marr show, suggesting that the Government will not change its position on Free School Meals, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said: “Tory Ministers must stop defending the indefensible on free school meals. We are in the midst of an unprecedented crisis, and the Conservatives have chosen to cut off a lifeline for the poorest children in the country. "Communities and businesses who have stepped up where the Government has failed shows where the true heart of this nation lies. The Conservatives must wake up to reality and do the right thing. "The Liberal Democrats will keep calling for the Conservatives to do the right thing to ensure vulnerable children do not go hungry…
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03Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Education Secretary must come clean about what he knew, and when

Education Secretary must come clean about what he knew, and when

Parliamentary news
Speaking after the Chair of Ofqual told MPs today that it was a "fundamental mistake" to believe a controversial algorithm initially used for A-level and GCSE results would "ever be acceptable to the public", Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Daisy Cooper said: “The A level scandal caused untold distress and anguish for too many young people. "It is now clear as day that the Education Secretary stubbornly refused to heed warnings about this approach and that the decisions which led to this fiasco were firmly in his hands. "Pupils and parents need to have confidence that children and young people can return to full time education and stay there. Instead, this Government just keeps lurching from one crisis to the next. "After shamelessly hanging officials out to dry, the Education Secretary…
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