• Davey creates ‘Reform Watch’ team to keep Trumpian councils honest
• Lib Dems call on Government to ‘step up’ and pay care workers properly
• Cole-Hamilton comments on Edinburgh cyberattack

Davey creates ‘Reform Watch’ team to keep Trumpian councils honest

Ed Davey has established a new national “Reform Watch’ scrutiny board, bringing together local Liberal Democrat leaders in areas where Reform has taken control to take a coordinated approach to opposition and holding them to account.

The Liberal Democrats came second to Reform at last week’s local elections, winning more councillors than both Labour and the Conservatives for the first time ever.

The Board will be chaired by Amanda Hopgood, leader of the Liberal Democrat group that overtook Labour and the Conservatives to become the official opposition in County Durham.

She will be joined by Antony Hook, leader of the official opposition in Kent County Council, and Mike Ross, the leader of Hull City Council who came a close second to Reform in the Hull and East Yorkshire mayoral race. Representatives from the other counties where Reform took control last week will also be invited to join the group.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:

A lot of people are rightly very worried about the threat Reform poses to our communities and the public services we all rely on. Nigel Farage has made it clear that Reform wants to do to our councils what Donald Trump and Elon Musk are doing to America.

After our strong local election results, there are parts of the country from Durham to Kent where the Liberal Democrats are the only ones who can provide a real opposition to Reform. Our councillors will be strong local champions, holding Reform to account, protecting local services and exposing any waste of taxpayers’ hard-earned cash.

Councillor Amanda Hopgood, Leader of the Opposition on Durham County Council, said:

From fixing potholes to boosting the local economy, people deserve a council that works hard for them. Liberal Democrats will be holding Reform’s feet to the fire and standing up for our communities.

On behalf of local people, our new team will shine a light on what Reform councils are up to, scrutinise their actions and fight to protect local services.

Lib Dems call on Government to ‘step up’ and pay care workers properly

Today, on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, the Home Secretary has confirmed the Government intends on ending visas for overseas care workers.

Responding the Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care Spokesperson Helen Morgan said:

Today marks yet another announcement from the Government of tinkering around the edges yet failing to properly tackle the crisis in our social care.

Labour must step up and take proper action to address recruitment shortages including paying our care workers properly and rolling out a plan for career progression.

This action must be taken without delay to ensure patients can receive the high quality care they need.

Cole-Hamilton comments on Edinburgh cyberattack

Responding to the reported cyberattack on Edinburgh Council’s education department, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

This is a significant disruption for pupils and teachers. I’m glad that council has swung into action and I hope that disruption can be kept to a minimum but at the height of exam season it’s going to be a real challenge for pupils if they are only allowed a two hour window to reset their passwords.

We know from previous cyberattacks on SEPA and NHS Dumfries & Galloway that these attacks can be complex, expensive and the full impact not truly understood for a considerable period of time.

As more of our lives move online, there are also going to be an increasing number of malicious actors out there trying to cause chaos or make a profit.

The Scottish Government must ensure that local authorities, health boards and public bodies have the support they need to toughen up their digital infrastructure and avoid disruption to people’s lives.