• Unemployment rising: Govt is playing economic whack-a-mole
• Lib Dems report Sunak to the Ethics Adviser over improper use of government resources at speech
• Rees-Mogg Farage comments: Sunak must suspend the whip
• Cole-Hamilton: A&E must not keep being ignored
• Cole-Hamilton responds to breast cancer screening inequalities
• “Lack of leadership”- Welsh Lib Dems call for new minister needed to eradicate child poverty

Unemployment rising: Govt is playing economic whack-a-mole

Responding to the latest labour market figures showing a rise in unemployment, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Sarah Olney MP said:

After years of economic chaos, these are concerning figures.

The Conservative government has played economic whack-a-mole for too long, unable to grow the economy, and now too many face the prospect of losing their job.

The public has lost all faith in the Conservative party to manage the British economy. Our economy desperately needs a General Election.

Lib Dems report Sunak to the Ethics Adviser over improper use of government resources at speech

The Liberal Democrats have reported the Prime Minister to the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests for using the government crest at his party political speech yesterday.

In his speech at Policy Exchange, the Prime Minister gave an overtly party political speech in which he framed from the start as being about the choice voters will face come the next General Election. The speech was deemed so party political that on the government’s own website much of the speech was redacted.

Despite this, the Prime Minister spoke from a lectern bearing the Royal Coat of Arms which the Liberal Democrats have said is a clear breach of the Ministerial Code as it states that: “Ministers must not use government resources for party political purposes”.

The Liberal Democrats have asked the Ethics Adviser to investigate this apparent breach of the Code, saying that “Rishi Sunak must be taking the public for fools if he thinks that the speech he gave was anything other than a politically charged rant.”

Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokesperson, Christine Jardine MP said:

The Prime Minister’s party political speech earlier today appears to be a clear breach of the Ministerial code. Taxpayers should not have to fund the lectern he gives this from.

Rishi Sunak must be taking the public for fools if he thinks that the speech he gave was anything other than a politically charged rant. The pathetic excuses he made for his own party’s failures will fall on deaf ears.

The country has stopped listening to the Prime Minister and the Conservative party. They want a General Election and to finally see the back of this awful government that has trashed our NHS, let water companies off the hook, and has forced far too many to choose between heating and eating.

Rees-Mogg Farage comments: Sunak must suspend the whip

Responding to Jacob Rees-Mogg suggesting that Nigel Farage be taken into the Conservative Party and made a Minister, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said:

The Conservative Party is a shambolic mess. Rishi Sunak’s MPs are in open revolt and he does not have the backbone to stand up to them.

If the Prime Minister had any bottle he would suspend the whip from Rees-Mogg and rule out Nigel Farage being allowed into the Conservative Party.

The public is sick to the back teeth of this endless Conservative soap opera as they watch the NHS crumble, filthy sewage pumped into their waterways and their mortgages spiral.

Rishi Sunak should put us all out of our misery and call a General Election.

Cole-Hamilton: A&E must not keep being ignored

Responding to new figures showing only 65.3% of people attending A&E were seen within the 4 hour target in week ending 5th May, while 3,351 people waited over 8 hours and 1,480 waited over 12 hours, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

While we may have a new First Minister, this is the same cabinet that has failed to tackle A&E for years. The crisis in our A&E departments must not continue to be ignored.

Patients and staff alike have had to put up with SNP ministerial disinterest for years on end, they all deserve better than this.

We need to see meaningful action finally taken to reverse this situation, not just more talk from the SNP government.

Scottish Liberal Democrats would overhaul the NHS Recovery Plan, bring forward an urgent inquiry into the hundreds of avoidable deaths linked to the emergency care crisis and implement measures which will meaningfully tackle burnout among staff.

Cole-Hamilton responds to breast cancer screening inequalities

Responding to the Scottish Breast Cancer Screening Programme Statistics, which reveal that only six in ten women from the most deprived areas attended their screening between 2020 and 2023, a disparity of 18.6 percentage points compared to those in the least deprived areas, Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

These disparities will make for upsetting reading, especially when we know that early diagnosis is key to treating cancer successfully.

I worry that the Scottish Government’s current model of centralisation, which has failed to invest sufficiently in local services, could only sharpen these inequalities.

Ministers must pull out all the stops so that everyone eligible for screening programmes is being invited and encouraged to attend. Scottish Liberal Democrats would also roll out a bigger range of cancer specialists and professionals, ensuring that diagnosis and treatment is comprehensive across the country.

“Lack of leadership”- Welsh Lib Dems call for new minister needed to eradicate child poverty

Today in the Senedd, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have called for the creation of a dedicated Minister for Babies, Children and Young People to help combat child poverty in Wales.

Speaking to the Senedd, Welsh Lib Dem leader Jane Dodds MS, who previously worked as a social worker for over 20 years, claimed that Wales current efforts to eradicate child poverty “lacks any form of serious leadership”.

The party have cited child poverty levels in countries with a dedicated Minister for Children, such as Ireland, New Zealand, and Norway, being considerably lower than in Wales:

• 14.3% child poverty rate in Ireland – Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

• 12.6% child poverty rate in New Zealand – Minister for Children and for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence.

• 11.3% child poverty rate in Norway – Minister for Children and Families.

• 29% child poverty rate in Wales – No current Minister.

Commenting, the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS said:

It is a sad situation when over a quarter of our children are living in poverty, a statistic that should serve as a stain on this government’s record.

Our current effort in Wales lacks any form of serious leadership or strategic cohesion, with responsibilities scattered we’re left facing an uphill battle.

We must learn from countries who are succeeding in the battle against child poverty – such as Ireland, New Zealand, and Norway.

Each has a dedicated Minister for Children leading their respected child poverty strategy and, crucially, they are all outperforming Wales with far lower rates of poverty.

Without a dedicated Minister leading efforts to eradicate poverty, we here in Wales will continue to stagger cluelessly in the dark.