• Keegan: You don’t need a maths A-level to see that these plans don’t add up
• Government Pushed to Vote on Banning New Coal Mines
• Government reported for breaking purdah rules
• Sunak investigation: Another accusation of a Conservative PM bending the rules
• Government defeated as Lib Dems win vote to ban new coal mines

Keegan: You don’t need a maths A-level to see that these plans don’t add up

Responding to Gillian Keegan’s morning media round about the Government’s maths announcement, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Munira Wilson MP said:

Gillian Keegan’s empty words are an insult to millions of people who are looking to the Government for real solutions. You don’t need a maths A-level to see that these plans don’t add up.

How many more rehashed policies will this Conservative government come up with before addressing the recruitment and retention of teachers?

Parents and children deserve a proper plan to recruit the extra teachers we need, not more empty promises.

Government Pushed to Vote on Banning New Coal Mines

Today, Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords will be pushing a vote on their amendment to the Energy Bill which would prevent the Government from opening new coal mines in England.

The amendment comes after the Government was criticised for their decision to approve the Cumbrian coal mine.

With Labour and the Crossbenchers signed on to back the amendment, the vote is expected to come down to a knife edge in the early evening on Monday the 17th.

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Energy in the House of Lords, Lord Teverson said:

Opening new coal mines wrecks the good reputation that Britain has built up by cutting its emissions through renewable energy. We cannot allow this Conservative Government to tear the UK’s environmental credentials into shreds.

First, Rishi Sunak couldn’t be bothered to attend COP27 before performing a U- turn. Now his Government is trashing our country’s reputation as a world lead in cutting emissions. He does not represent the views of the public who want cheaper energy produced by green, clean projects.

The Liberal Democrats are having to push the Government to a vote to stop any new coal mines as they seem incapable of making this commitment themselves.

At COP26 in Glasgow, only a year and a half ago, the Government proudly announced that it was leading an international effort to end the use of coal. Since then it has turned its back on its international partners and is travelling in the opposite direction.

Government reported for breaking purdah rules

The Liberal Democrats have this morning written to Cabinet Secretary Simon Case to report Ministers for breaking Purdah rules over today’s maths policy announcement.

Cabinet Office Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats Christine Jardine has written to Mr Case and argued that now we are in the pre-election ‘purdah’ period in relation to local elections in England the announcement has breached the rules.

The Government’s own guidance on purdah makes clear that “it needs to be borne in mind that the activities of the UK Government could have a bearing on the election [campaign]”, stressing that “care also needs to be taken in relation to the announcement of UK Government decisions which could have a bearing on the elections”.

The Lib Dems have called for an investigation to be opened into whether the announcement breached rules.

Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office Spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said:

We need an investigation immediately into this announcement and the Prime Minister has serious questions to answer about whether his Government ignored the rules.

This Government knows that the writing is on the wall ahead of the local elections this May and so they are intent on bending the rules to do whatever they can to salvage seats.

People are tired and fed up with this Conservative Government’s intent on fiddling the rules and operating in murky waters, and that’s why millions of people are set to send them a message they won’t be able to ignore.

Sunak investigation: Another accusation of a Conservative PM bending the rules

Responding to the news that Rishi Sunak is under investigation by Parliament standards watchdog, Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain MP said:

Another day and another accusation of a Conservative Prime Minister bending the rules.

This is on the same day that Rishi Sunak may have broken election rules for his government announcement today.

After months of Conservative sleaze and scandal, the public just want a government which is focused on the country, rather than saving their own skin.

Government defeated as Lib Dems win vote to ban new coal mines

Today, Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords have passed their amendment to the Energy Bill, meaning the Government is prevented from opening new coal mines in England. The amendment was backed by Labour and Crossbencher Peers.

The vote was won by just three votes at 197-194.

The victory comes after the Government was criticised for their decision to approve the Cumbrian coal mine. The Bill will move to the House of Commons after Third Reading on the 24th of April.

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Energy in the House of Lords, Lord Teverson said:

This is a fantastic win for the Liberal Democrats, with the passage of our amendment stopping this Conservative Government from opening new coal mines which tear the UK’s environmental credentials into shreds.

Now we need MPs from all parties to come together to represent the views of the public who want cheaper energy produced by green, clean projects.

At COP26 in Glasgow, only a year and a half ago, the Government proudly announced that it was leading an international effort to end the use of coal. We must hold them to this when the Energy Bill reaches the House of Commons.