• Tories’ plans on health tourism enforcement unit is the latest example of dog-whistle politics
• Lib Dems: GDP figures show economy is grinding to a halt under the Tories
• Lib Dem launch poster urging Remainers to stop Boris Johnson
• Lib Dems: Boris Johnson is lying on a bulldozer instead of in front of one
• Lib Dems: Johnson attack on international aid will destroy our global credibility

Tories’ plans on health tourism enforcement unit is the latest example of dog-whistle politics

The Liberal Democrats have today branded the Tories pledge to double the budget of the ‘health tourism enforcement unit’ as dog-whistle politics.

The Conservative manifesto states that the pledge to double the budget of the unit would come from “existing departmental budget allocations”. This means it would come from directly from the NHS’s budget, taking vital funding away from genuine NHS priorities.

The spending pledge comes even though the independent fact-checking organisation, Full Fact, has found that so-called health tourism only represents 0.3% of total health spending. The Department for Health and Social Care’s own figures also found that the majority of so-called health tourism actually stem from British expats coming back to the UK to see their old GPs.

Commenting on the announcement, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Social Care, Luciana Berger, said:

The NHS is at breaking point after years of Conservative under-investment. This pledge is just the latest example of Tory dog-whistle politics as they look to blame the NHS crisis on so-called health tourism. This is despite the fact that it has been proven to represent a minuscule fraction of total health spending.

To make matters worse, the funding for this supposed enforcement unit would come from the existing NHS budget, further compounding the stress on NHS staff and failing to address the real issues.

But this shouldn’t come as a surprise from the Party that wants to introduce a Nurses Tax on EU staff, that brought in the hostile environment immigration policy, that paraded vans around British towns telling immigrants to ‘go home’, and introduced right to rent checks. It is clear the Tories now just dance to Nigel Farage’s tune.

The Liberal Democrats are committed to properly tackling the issues in our NHS. We will stop Brexit, invest in our health service via our fully costed plan to add one penny on income tax and build a brighter future.

Lib Dems: GDP figures show economy is grinding to a halt under the Tories

GDP growth was flat in the three months to October while output in the manufacturing sector continued to fall, ONS figures published today have revealed.

Responding, Liberal Democat Shadow Chancellor Ed Davey said:

Today’s figures show the extent of Boris Johnson’s economic incompetence. His pursuit of Brexit is causing the economy to grind to a halt, and the most vulnerable will be hit hardest if he isn’t stopped.

Our manufacturing sector is already being decimated by Brexit and this will be made even worse by Boris Johnson’s plan to crash the UK out of the EU by December 2020.

It’s not too late to stop Brexit and protect our economy, so we can invest the £50 billion Remain bonus in our public services and tackling inequality.

Every vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote to stop Boris, stop Brexit and build a brighter future for the country.

Lib Dem launch poster urging Remainers to stop Boris Johnson

The Liberal Democrats have today unveiled their final campaign poster ahead of polling day urging Remainers to back the Liberal Democrats – the strongest party of Remain – and help stop a Boris Johnson majority.

The poster was launched in London this morning ahead of Jo Swinson’s whistle-stop tour of key Conservative facing target seats. The poster van will tour constituencies including City of London and Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Finchley and Golders Green and Richmond Park.

The Liberal Democrats are the only major party in this General Election with an unequivocal commitment to stop Brexit.

In 2019, the Liberal Democrats won 700 seats in the local elections and beat both the Conservatives and Labour in the European Elections.

The party, which has welcomed tens of thousands of new members, also won the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election and alongside eight other defections took away Boris Johnson’s majority. The Liberal Democrats are seeking to stop a Boris Johnson’s majority again on the 12th of December.

Launching the poster, Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake said:

Boris Johnson cares more about himself than the future of our country and he cannot be trusted. If he wins, the country will lose. This Thursday is the last chance to stop Brexit and stop Boris Johnson.

The Liberal Democrats are the biggest, strongest party of Remain. Jo Swinson’s Liberal Democrats are the only party that can stop Boris Johnson, stop Brexit and build a brighter future for people and our planet.

We are the only party who can win seats from the Conservatives and block his Brexit. Every extra Liberal Democrat MP will give Jo Swinson a stronger hand to stop the Conservatives.

Lib Dems: Boris Johnson is lying on a bulldozer instead of in front of one

Responding to Boris Johnson’s bulldozer stunt today, Liberal Democrat Shadow Brexit Secretary Tom Brake said:

Boris Johnson once promised to lie in front of a bulldozer. Instead he’s lying on one.

Stupid stunts don’t disguise the fact that his Brexit plans would mean years of chaos and division.

Boris Johnson has shown time and again he can’t be trusted. He lied about Heathrow, he lied to the Queen and now he’s lying about Brexit.

If Boris Johnson wins, the country will lose as he drives us off a cliff. This Thursday is the last chance to stop Brexit and stop Boris Johnson, by voting for the Liberal Democrats as the biggest, strongest party of Remain.

Lib Dems: Johnson attack on international aid will destroy our global credibility

Responding to allegations that Boris Johnson plans to close the Department for International Development and merge it into a joint department with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary Chuka Umunna said:

Boris Johnson is demonstrating yet again his damaging plans to close the UK off from the world and destroy our global credibility.

Since its creation over two decades ago, the Department for International Development has been a world leader in delivering aid and humanitarian assistance to those in desperate need.

The Conservatives are willing to trample over this proud record, putting the short-term desires of the hard-right of the Conservative party ahead of the long-term benefits of sustainable global development.