17 July 2024 – today’s press releases

  • Ed Davey on King’s Speech: Liberal Democrats will make the voice of carers heard
  • Child Poverty: Right that Government looks at how to tackle child poverty after economic damage by Conservatives
  • Chamberlain tables WASPI Parliamentary motion
  • London Lib Dems – King’s Speech – Extra Powers for Metro Mayors Welcome, but Need the Financial Powers to Back Them Up
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats respond to King’s Speech
  • Renew Europe: End Orbán’s Council Presidency

Ed Davey on King’s Speech: Liberal Democrats will make the voice of carers heard

Responding to the King’s Speech, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

After years of crisis and chaos under the Conservative Party, it is clear our country faces enormous challenges. The Liberal Democrats will carefully scrutinise the Government’s plans, striving hard to stand up for our constituents.

We will continue campaigning to fix the NHS, boosting GP numbers, tackling delays to cancer treatment and improving access to dentists and pharmacists.

We will make sure the voice of carers is heard, from increasing the Carer’s Allowance to the big challenge of fixing social care – so that our loved ones can get the support they need.

Child Poverty: Right that Government looks at how to tackle child poverty after economic damage by Conservatives

Responding to news that the government has created a ministerial taskforce to tackle child poverty, Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions spokesperson Wendy Chamberlain MP said:

It is right that the government is looking at how best to tackle the scourge of child poverty. Hundreds of thousands of children are trapped in poverty after years of chaos and economic damage by the Conservatives.

Scrapping the two child cap would be the quickest and most cost-effective way to lift children out of poverty and bring long-term benefits to our society and economy. We hope that ministers listen to the evidence and the many charities that their task force will meet and act accordingly.

Chamberlain tables WASPI Parliamentary motion

Wendy Chamberlain, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Work and Pensions, has today tabled a Parliamentary motion calling for the new Government to honour the recommendations of the Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman’s report first came out in July 2021 and stated that women born in the 1950s had suffered significant financial loss due to maladministration by the Department of Work and Pensions. The final report was published in May 2024 and recommended 1950s women are owed compensation.

The Liberal Democrats were the first party to pledge WASPI compensation which neither Labour nor the Conservatives did prior or during the 2024 General Election campaign.

With more than one hundred 1950s women dying each day, many of whom suffering and dying without compensation, the Liberal Democrats are once again calling on the Government to urgently implement a compensation plan following the Ombudsman’s recommendations.

Angela Madden, Chair of Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI), said:

We are grateful to have the support of hundreds of MPs across the Commons and look forward to working cross-party to see fair and fast compensation delivered as quickly as possible in the new Parliament.

Many MPs have backed our campaign for justice to date, including the Prime Minister himself. With one WASPI woman dying every 13 minutes, we have no more time for dither or delay.

Wendy Chamberlain commented:

To say WASPI women have waited long enough for compensation is an understatement.

The DWP have had plenty of time to act on the first report’s findings over three years ago, and plenty of time after the final report too.

It is truly disgraceful that a proper compensation scheme has not already been put in place and I hope that the new Government will act with the urgency with which compensation is needed.”

I’ve met with WASPI women. I’ve met with the campaigners who stand in the rain outside Parliament on budget days. I’ve spoken to the group leaders. And most importantly I’ve spoken with my constituents.

They tell me that they are dying without the DWP admitting to their errors. Without any acknowledgement of the impact that this has had on their lives and without compensation.

There is no time left to ‘consider’ the report findings, the Government must put a plan in place now.

London Lib Dems – King’s Speech – Extra Powers for Metro Mayors Welcome, but Need the Financial Powers to Back Them Up

Responding to the announcement in the King’s Speech of an English Devolution Bill to give new powers to metro mayors, including the Mayor of London, Liberal Democrat Group Leader on the London Assembly Hina Bokhari AM said:

The Liberal Democrats have always been among the strongest supporters of devolution. Putting power as close to the people is not only the right thing to do, but also helps boost local and regional economies.

But extra powers must come with extra financial resources to back them up or the ability for regions to raise finance themselves.

The Liberal Democrats also want to see the London Assembly given extra powers to hold the Mayor of London to account, particularly around the budget.

Scottish Liberal Democrats respond to King’s Speech

Responding to the King’s Speech, Liberal Democrat Scottish Affairs spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said:

Our country has faced years of crisis and chaos under the Conservative Party. The Liberal Democrats will carefully scrutinise the Government’s plans, striving hard to stand up for our constituents on key matters like funding for healthcare.

Today’s speech was missing answers on where exactly GB Energy will be located and on what action will be taken to alleviate the burden of the two-child limit.

Across this parliament, we will continue campaigning to fix the NHS, boosting GP numbers, tackling delays to cancer treatment and improving access to dentists and pharmacists.

Led by Ed Davey, we will also make sure the voice of carers is heard, from increasing the Carer’s Allowance to the big challenge of fixing social care – so that our loved ones can get the support they need.

This is not the limit of our ambition however. Scotland has been held back by two bad governments, not just the Conservatives in Westminster. We will hold the SNP accountable for their scandals and the mess they have made of public services.

Renew Europe: End Orbán’s Council Presidency

Renew Europe President Valérie Hayer MEP called on the European Council to explore all legal means in order to stop the Hungarian Presidency of the Council and hand it over to Poland.

The Hungarian Prime Minister is undermining positions adopted by the European Union and acting contrary to our interests and it has to stop. It is time to rein in Victor Orbán’s rogue Presidency of the Council.

His pretend peace mission is a security threat, his isolated communication is only a smoke screen for his own interests and fails miserably. Russia’s recent attacks, including on a children’s hospital in Kyiv, 48h after a supposed peace mission, are simply sickening.

In the first Plenary session of the new-look European Parliament this week, Renew Europe will aim to secure an urgent debate on the behaviour of the Hungarian Presidency, in the presence of European Council President Charles Michel.

The Group believes that President Michel should state clearly that Orbán does not speak on behalf of the EU, and should clarify the responsibilities and mandate of the European Council on foreign affairs, stressing the need for the Council to clean up its own house.

Renew Europe strongly objects the Hungarian Prime Minister’s attempt to manipulate the Hungarian presidency to pursue pretend peace missions to Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing and Washington, whilst pushing messages that are contrary to positions adopted by the EU.

The Group also calls on the Hungarian Government to cease using the logo of their Presidency in non-sanctioned communications that harm the Union.

Finally, Renew Europe demands that the Council and Commission take responsibility and finally take further steps to apply Article 7, which could lead to the removal of Hungary’s voting rights.

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This entry was posted in Europe / International, London, News, Press releases and Scotland.
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3 Comments

  • The Renew Europe demand that the EU Council and Commission take responsibility and finally take further steps to apply Article 7, which could lead to the removal of Hungary’s voting rights is a serious condemnation of the Hungarian Prime Ministers’ conduct.
    Viktor Orban does not seem to have made it clear as to whether he is acting in the capacity of Hungary’s head of state or leveraging Hungary’s current Presidency of the EU Council in his recent trips to Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing and Mar-a-Lago, Florida.
    Orban clearly has a different position on negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war, but he is not alone in that position. A recent letter in the FT argues “Seize peace in Ukraine before it’s too late” https://www.ft.com/content/90185a02-8107-47c0-ae6f-b06e88b796b5?share=facebook
    The letter argues “Ukraine has fought for its independence, and won it — as Finland did in 1939-40. Some territorial concessions would seem a small price to pay for the reality, rather than semblance, of independence.”
    There is no right or wrong answer to the question of whether Ukraine should fight on to restore its territorial integrity and ultimately it is a decision only the Ukrainian government can make on behalf of its people. It is also true to say that the quickest way to end a war is to lose it.
    One thing is clear. Whether Ukraine surrenders or continues the war into a second decade the threat from Russia will always be there whatever treaties may be agreed.

  • Joseph Bourke 19th Jul '24 - 10:14am

    Martin,

    Sir Ed Davey in an interview with Andrew Marr last month https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/ed-davey-putin-apologists-exposed-coalition-government/said “You go around cities and towns and villages… The British people want us to support Ukraine – and they’re absolutely right.”
    He hit out at supporters of Russian President Vladimir Putin, adding that apologists ‘need to be exposed’ and commented on mistakes made with respect to the relationship with Russia during the coalition years – “There were parts of the coalition who appeared to be in love with Putin at times,”
    His comments are unequivocal – “The virus of Putinism, unfortunately, infects people. People who are apologists for Putin really need to look at themselves in the mirror. He has been a dangerous man for many years.”
    David Lammy at the recent Nato summit (as with David Cameron before him) has said the UK’s commitment to Ukraine is “ironclad” https://uk.news.yahoo.com/uk-foreign-secretary-david-lammy-221325177.html.
    Keir Starmer has warned Allies that the frontline defence of the Euro-Atlantic region is the Ukrainian trenches https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-to-stand-with-ukraine-for-as-long-as-it-takes-pm-to-tell-nato.
    Whatever the outcome of the Ukraine conflict, the days of a peace dividend are over. The UK and Europe have no choice now but to rearm and build its defences against a hostile Russian state that already considers itself in a hybrid war with the West whether the British public realise it or not.

  • Peter Martin 19th Jul '24 - 4:11pm

    @ Joe,

    “He has been a dangerous man for many years.”

    Putin has always been a dangerous man. However, it’s not just a question of personalities. If it hadn’t been him who’d risen to the top it would have been someone else of his ilk.

    The fact is that the British ruling class cheered on the fall of the USSR even as it was replaced by a kleptocracy. The red carpet was put out for Putin in 2003 when he and his entourage was wined and dined at Buckingham Palace. He made several other trips to the UK as a VIP including a visit to the London Olympics in 2012.

    There was no attempt to made to keep out the Russian oligarchs even although most, if not all, became rich because they stole former state assets. All that mattered was they had money. These weren’t just “mistakes” whether or not made during the coalition years. Anyone dealing with known criminals knows full well what they are doing.

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