It perhaps tells you all that you need to know about the state of our politics when the Government is found to have acted in contempt of Parliament and yet, hours later, nobody has resigned. But you can guess what’s dominating today…

• Lib Dems demand urgent action on prisons crisis (already covered here)
• UK can get out of Brexit mess
• Moran: Govt is fostering a culture of senseless competition in our schools
• Cable: Legal advice must be published urgently
• Parliament wins back control, but people must have their say
• Cable: Bring country together with a People’s Vote

UK can get out of Brexit mess

Responding to the recommendation from the Advocate General of the European Court of Justice that Article 50 can be revoked with no legal consequences, Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson, Tom Brake said:

Liberal Democrats have long said that we can get out of this Brexit mess if we chose to.

As MPs begin to debate Theresa May’s terrible deal, many will be reflecting on how it compares with the deal we’ve currently got.

UltImately the Government must give a final say through a People’s Vote, with the option to remain in the EU.

Moran: Govt is fostering a culture of senseless competition in our schools

Ofsted’s annual report has provided a damning assessment of secondary schools undertaking ‘off-rolling’ and has identified a ‘worrying gap’ in the provisions for schools attended by pupils with special educational needs or disabilities.

The education watchdog warned that thousands of pupils could be “disappearing” from the school system as a result of illegal off-rolling.

The report found that 19,000 children dropped off school rolls between January 2016 and January 2017, during the time that students are undertaking their GCSE exams.

Around half (9,700) of those dropping off rolls between Years 10 and 11 are not reappearing on the roll of another state-funded school.

‘Off-rolling’, a practice where schools move difficult-to-teach pupils off their rolls to boost performance data, is illegal and leaves the child without access to educational support.

Commenting on the report by Ofsted, Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Layla Moran said:

It is shameful that thousands of children are being let down in this way. Every child has the right to an education and should be supported to achieve to the best of their ability in our schools.

This Government is fostering a culture of senseless competition between schools, where results from a single set of narrowly focused, high-stakes exams, are made to feel like the be all and end all when it comes to judging a school’s success.

All this does is force schools to give up on pupils who are struggling – a decision which will have devastating consequences for their education, job prospects and self esteem for years to come.

Cable: Legal advice must be published urgently

Responding to the House of Commons finding the Conservative Government in contempt over its failure to release their Brexit legal advice, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable said:

This is now a government on the ropes. Theresa May’s majority has evaporated, and the credibility of her deal is evaporating with it.

Parliament has asserted itself, and the full legal advice must now be published as a matter of urgency.

The Commons is now very likely to defeat the Government again next week on the Brexit deal, at which point the country must be given a People’s Vote, and asked to choose between the deal or remaining in the EU.

Parliament wins back control, but people must have their say

Responding to the House of Commons defeating the Conservative Government by backing an amendment that gives MPs control over Brexit if the deal is voted down next week, Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake said:

Parliament has thankfully won back control from the loosening grips of Theresa May. If, as expected, her deal is voted down then MPs can now instruct the Government on what should happen next.

Brexit will hit the pockets of hardworking people up and down the country. MPs now have the power to give them the opportunity to escape this mess with a People’s Vote, including the option to remain. The path is open, MPs must now take it.

Cable: Bring country together with a People’s Vote

Speaking in the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement debate in the House of Commons chamber this evening, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable reiterated his party’s position to hold a People’s Vote with an option to remain in the European Union.

He said:

We shall campaign to remain in the European Union because we believe unambiguously that it is the national interest and the right thing to do.

We want to bring the country together. We don’t want to perpetuate division, but the bitter truth is we are a country divided, and it will be even more so if we leave the EU under these terms.

There are overwhelming arguments for remaining members but the fundamental point is the impact on living standards; it has been acknowledged even by the Government that we would be worse off, we can have different scenarios or assumptions but none show that we would be better off.

This issue will not die in March of next year, let us have an agreement now to have a vote on Brexit now we know what it is.