12 June 2019 – today’s press releases

  • Leaked memo confirms no-deal Brexit medicine fears
  • Farron calls for new deal to fix broken social care system at PMQs
  • Lords pass Lib Dem law to raise age of criminal responsibility
  • Lib Dems: We must ensure next PM cannot shutdown Parliament

Leaked memo confirms no-deal Brexit medicine fears

Responding to a leaked Cabinet note revealing the UK will not be ready for a no-deal Brexit by October 31st because is will take “six to eight months” to build up supplies of medicines, Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine said:

This Government document will be extremely concerning to people who rely on medicines like insulin to stay alive.

It is unacceptable that senior Tory figures running to be leader are suggesting that we could leave on the 31 October when documents are showing the exact opposite.

The candidates for Tory leadership must be honest. No deal is not a reality, it has never been a reality.

The only options are a people’s vote with an option to remain or Theresa May’s universally disliked deal. Only by stopping Brexit can we ensure a safe supply of medicines.

Farron calls for new deal to fix broken social care system at PMQs

Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron used today’s Prime Minister’s Questions session to call for the establishment of a new cross-party group to bring forward a new deal to fix Britain’s social care system.

Speaking on the floor of the House of Commons, Tim said:

This logjammed and underworked Parliament could become one of the best if we chose to work across party to fix our broken social care system.

Through free votes, good will and hard work, we could design and then enact a new deal for social care that could give millions hope for the future.

As one of her final acts as Prime Minister, will she commit to meet me and establish a cross party group so that we can bring this social care new deal to fruition?

In response, Theresa May said that it was important that Britain’s social care system has a sustainable future and that she hopes that the Government will bring forward a social care green paper to Parliament soon which MPs of all parties would be able to contribute towards.

Speaking afterwards, Tim Farron said:

My suggestion is that we use the Local Government Association’s green paper on social care which has already been put together by councillors from parties of all colours as a good place to start.

What I want is for MPs to work together for a couple of months to design and bring forward a bill so this Parliament, which at the moment is so rightly derided, might actually do one of the best things that’s ever been done by any Parliament.

Lords pass Lib Dem law to raise age of criminal responsibility

Today, the Liberal Democrat bill to raise the age of criminal responsibility has passed in the House of Lords.

The Bill, introduced by the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords Navnit Dholakia, will amend the age of criminal responsibility in the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 from ten to twelve.

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the Law Society, the Children’s Commissioners, the Royal Society, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the All Party Parliamentary Group for Children have all called for the age of criminal responsibility to be raised.

Commenting on the passing of his Bill, Navnit Dholakia said:

I am delighted to see my bill, which will raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12, pass in the House of Lords today. This draconian provision was last amended over 50 years ago and is completely out of touch with modern society.

The UK’s age of criminal responsibility is the lowest in Europe and the United Nations has repeatedly stated our current age of criminal responsibility is not compatible with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Taking 10 or 11 years-olds out of the adult justice system does not mean failing to act when they offend, it simply means treating them as children when they do. This may be a simple reform, but it will change the shape of our criminal justice system going forward.

Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson Wera Hobhouse MP said:

Our criminal justice system must have a child-centred approach when dealing with young offenders – we need reform urgently.

It is vital children are not given life-altering sentences at such a young age as well as being exposed to the detrimental impact of detention. The Liberal Democrats strongly believe in raising the age of criminal responsibility to bring the UK’s justice system in line with modern society and I look forward to supporting this Bill’s passage in the House of Commons.

Lib Dems: We must ensure next PM cannot shutdown Parliament

Today the government have stopped MPs from taking control of Parliamentary business on 25th June as part of the attempt to block a no-deal Brexit.

Following the vote, Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake MP said:

Crashing out of the EU without a deal would be catastrophic for our NHS, jobs, and the environment. That is undeniable and it is reckless and underhand to suggest otherwise.

Liberal Democrats will continue to do everything in our power to take no-deal off the table. Whoever the next Prime Minister is, we cannot allow them to damage our country as they attempt to shutdown Parliament and ride roughshod over our democracy.

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4 Comments

  • Lots of press releases but sadly nothing about the Government’s intention to bin the UN report on poverty in the U.K. An opportunity missed when the Lib Dems failed to take part or even turn up for a Commons debate on inequality and poverty yesterday.

    Must do better…… or the recent surge of support will turn out to be a temporary blip. Are we a radical progressive party or not ?

  • David Becket 13th Jun '19 - 10:48am

    @David Law
    Spot on, so far nether of the candidates have impressed me on their determination to tackle this issue. On looking at Hansard this was not a major debate, and did not need 11 Lib Dems sitting there. However it did need one of our candidates there to make a major speech on the issue, which would have almost certainly have received media coverage. This party, and the two candidates, have not got an act together. Members deserve better.

  • David Raw 13th Jun ’19 – 7:24am…

    How anyone could watch the reports on the slow motion car-crash that is adult support in Somerset without feeling ashamed is beyond me.
    Beveridge’s’ cradle to grave’ vision, implemented by the Atlee government, has become a sick joke.
    The 2010-15 coalition government implemented an unprecedented attack on the poor and disabled with everything from a flawed Universal Credit roll-out, bedroom tax, ‘fit for work’ tests, etc.

    BTW..before someone comes to explain how it was a Tory government with just 57 LibDems may I suggest visiting the 1990’s campaign against drugs,”Just say No!”…A policy that a mere 10 DUP members have found rather effective.

  • And Somerset is just one of a great many, Expats. Watch out for Sussex and Northants next. The treatment of local government has been appalling by the Westminster right wing bubble – including the differential treatment favouring Tory authorities.

    Time the two leadership candidates took this on board….. if they ever understand it. We can’t even speak up to oppose the government’s binning of UN Report on poverty and left it to Labour and the SNP.

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