• Rise in homelessness shows ban on no-fault evictions needed now
• Bridgen should resign and cause a by-election
• Lib Dems force vote tonight to kill Illegal Migration Bill

Rise in homelessness shows ban on no-fault evictions needed now

Responding to the latest figures showing a rise in homelessness in October to December 2022, Liberal Democrat Housing Spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said:

The shameful failure of the Conservatives to ban no fault evictions is directly responsible for this shocking increase in homelessness.

The Conservatives first promised to ban the practice when Theresa May was Prime Minister, yet still nothing has been done.

This ban needs to be brought in urgently before more families lose their home through no fault of their own.

Bridgen should resign and cause a by-election

Responding to the news that former Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen has joined the Reclaim Party, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said:

Andrew Bridgen and his misinformation have absolutely no place in the House of Commons and now his defection to a failed fringe political party cements it.

If Bridgen wants to sit as an MP for this party he should do the right thing – resign and call a by-election.

Lib Dems force vote tonight to kill Illegal Migration Bill

Today, the Liberal Democrats will force a vote on their motion to kill the Illegal Migration Bill. This rarely used procedure at Second Reading in the House of Lords demonstrates the strength of the Party’s opposition to the Bill.

The motion, tabled by Lord Paddick, highlights the need to follow international law, the lack of measures to eliminate the asylum backlog and the failure to include safe and legal routes for refugees.

The vote is expected to happen before 10:30pm this evening. If the motion passes, the Illegal Migration Bill cannot continue its passage through Parliament during this session.

After his speech to the House of Lords Chamber this morning, Lord Paddick said:

Our motion tonight is further proof that Liberal Democrats will oppose this awful legislation at every turn.

We all want to combat people smuggling and prevent people from making dangerous attempts to cross the Channel, but this legislation is expensive, immoral and totally unworkable.

Nothing in this legislation will address what has actually caused our asylum system to become overwhelmed – which is Conservative chaos and dysfunction in the Home Office.