• Ed Davey: Only the Conservatives would think it is the right policy to put rail fares up now
• Swinson statement ahead of World AIDS Day

Ed Davey: Only the Conservatives would think it is the right policy to put rail fares up now

Responding to the news that rail fares will increase by 2.7% for millions of commuters on the 2nd January next year, Liberal Democrats Shadow Chancellor Ed Davey said:

With the railways in crisis and passengers continuing to suffer delays and cancellations on a daily basis, only the Conservatives would think it is the right policy to put fares up now.

It’s time to get tough – and that starts by enforcing a rail fare freeze now.

The Conservatives have done nothing to fix the problems across the network and if anything have made things far worse – with the botched timetable changes last year causing chaos across the country.

Liberal Democrats will build a brighter future. We will cancel this rise and freeze rail fares for the whole of the next Parliament – giving commuters some respite while we sort out the mess in rail franchises.

Swinson statement ahead of World AIDS Day

Speaking ahead of World AIDS Day on 1st December, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Jo Swinson said:

On World AIDS Day, we remember those who have tragically lost their lives to AIDS. We have come a long way in tackling this awful disease, but we must build a future where we end the epidemic altogether.

Today, nobody should be contracting HIV. But last year alone, 15 people did so while waiting to access preventative treatment, PrEP.

For years the Liberal Democrats have been calling on the Conservatives in government to extend PrEP to everyone who needs it. But they have refused. It is available in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but not in England. The Conservatives do not appear to care – they haven’t mentioned PrEP or HIV once in their manifesto.

The Liberal Democrats are committed to meeting the Global Goal to end AIDS by 2030. We will build a brighter future where everyone who needs PrEP has access to it for free and where sexual health services are properly funded.