Today’s releases are brought to you from ALDC’s Kickstart event, taking place this weekend in the heart of Staffordshire. There are three hundred Liberal Democrat campaigners and activists here, learning the skills required to run effective, and hopefully, successful campaigns in the months and years ahead.

• Tories must take back control of smart meters
• Women must have equal heart attack care to men
• Davey to PM: Come clean on European Convention on Human Rights
• PM must back People’s Vote on Brexit
• Government must not be complacent on Hedges case

Tories must take back control of smart meters

Responding to the NAO Report on rolling out smart meters, Ed Davey, former Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, said:

The smart meter programme’s aims are positive and making the energy system smarter is essential if we want to move to a low carbon economy.

However, the Tories have bungled this rollout badly. When I left Government we were expecting 2nd generation meters and a central database within a year; we currently have neither. Instead, because of Conservative failings, suppliers are still rolling out 1st generation meters that go ‘dumb’ when you switch. What’s the point of a smart meter that stops working if you switch? Liberal Democrats demand better.

The Government needs to take back control of smart meters. First, they need to accept some hard truths: they have completely botched this, it’s going to come in vastly over budget, and they are responsible. Only then can the public trust that smart meters will work for them, otherwise they’ll think it’s nothing more than a white elephant.

Women must have equal heart attack care to men

Responding as a British Heart Foundation report shows that over 8000 women die as a result of unequal heart attack care, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Judith Jolly said:

Sadly this is not new information. For years we have known that women are not receiving the same care for heart attacks as men, now we know to what extent.

There needs to be more understanding that heart attacks present differently in women then in men.

The Liberal Democrats demand better. The Government must launch a campaign to ensure people understand the heart attack risk both men and women face. Also those who use defibrillators must be trained to recognise the symptoms that are unique to women.

Davey to PM: Come clean on European Convention on Human Rights

Following the publication of the political declaration on the UK’s future relationship with the EU, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Ed Davey has written to the Prime Minister, urging her to commit to retaining the European Convention on Human Rights in UK law.

In the letter, Davey raises concerns over new language in paragraph 7 of the political declaration, which states that “The future relationship should incorporate the United Kingdom’s continued commitment to respect the framework of the European Convention on Human Rights”. He argues that this is not sufficient, and asks the Prime Minister to clarify whether this could mean the UK leaving the ECHR.

Ed Davey commented:

If Theresa May is once again threatening to withdraw the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights, she must come clean with Parliament and the people.

She has no mandate to allow people’s individual freedoms to be curbed, yet her political declaration appears to suggest she might withdraw us from the ECHR after Brexit, even though it is totally separate from the EU.

The Liberal Democrats demand better. We will continue to lead the fight against attempts to withdraw the UK from the ECHR, and to fight to give the people the final say on Theresa May’s deal, with the option of an Exit from Brexit.

PM must back People’s Vote on Brexit

Responding to the Prime Minister’s radio question and answer session, Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake said:

Once again, Theresa May has admitted that an exit from Brexit is on the table. With both leavers and remainers let down by the deal she has negotiated, the case for a People’s Vote has never been stronger.

When asked whether we will be better off outside the EU, the Prime Minister was unable to give a straight answer to the question. The political declaration is vague at best and completely lacking in any real detail.

The deal the Prime Minister has negotiated leaves us swallowing swathes of EU rules, without any input into how they are made. Nobody voted for this. It is time the Prime Minister backed a People’s Vote, with the option to remain in the EU.

Government must not be complacent on Hedges case

Responding to a recent statement from HE Sulaiman Almazroui UAE Ambassador to the UK on Matthew Hedges, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesperson Christine Jardine said:

I am heartened by this latest statement from the UAE which suggests substantial progress is being made towards bringing Matthew Hedges home.

But we cannot be complacent, the Foreign Secretary must maintain the dialogue with his UAE counterparts to guarantee Matthew’s return home.

I am hopeful, but we must keep all options on the table until his release is secured.