Author Archives: Mark Valladares

19 July 2019 – live from Brecon, today’s press releases…

By Mark Valladares | Fri 19th July 2019 - 11:40 pm

Lib Dems bring forward legislation to protect EU citizens
Lib Dems: Govt must provide urgent clarity on teachers’ pay
Lib Dem legislation to protect victims of crime passes second reading
Davey: Govt must fund police pay rise
Umunna slams economically incompetent Tories
Swinson: This is a time for cool heads in the Gulf

Lib Dems bring forward legislation to protect EU citizens

Today, the Liberal Democrats have brought forward a bill to safeguard EU citizens’ rights.

The Bill brought forward by Liberal Democrat peer Jonny Oates would provide a guarantee that, regardless of the outcome of Brexit, the rights of EU citizens and other EEA nationals living in …

Posted in News | Tagged chuka umunna, conservatives, economic management, ed davey, education spending, eu citizens, iran, Jo Swinson, jonny oates, layla moran, police, public sector pay, sal brinton and victims of crime | 1 Comment

19 July 2019 – the overnight press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 19th July 2019 - 11:25 pm

Lib Dems: Funding uncertainty for schools and colleges must stop

Responding to the publication of today’s report by the Education Select Committee, which calls on the Government to commit to a 10-year, multi-billion cash injection for schools and colleges, Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Layla Moran MP said:

Over the past few years, our schools and colleges have been cut to the bone, as funding levels failed to keep up with spiralling costs and increased pupil numbers.

Teachers have been forced to buy resources out of their own pockets, teaching assistants have been let go, and tens of schools have been shutting their

…

Posted in News | Tagged education spending, layla moran, music education and school sport | Leave a comment

18 July 2019 – yesterday’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 19th July 2019 - 11:10 pm

There was a bit of a glitch yesterday, as the press releases ended up in my spam folder for some reason. Things seem to be back to normal, so the usual service resumes here…

Welsh Lib Dems – time to embrace zero-carbon housing
Lib Dems: EU resolution a vital step in UK’s duty to stand up for people of Hong Kong
Davey demands urgent action as knife crime epidemic continues to spread
Umunna: OBR report shows No Deal Brexit would be unforgivable
Lib Dems: Johnson’s ‘fishy tales’ have no plaice in Number Ten
Lib Dems: Milestone victory to block no-deal
Gauke talks the talk but can’t walk

…

Posted in News | Tagged Alistair Carmichael, antony hook, boris johnson, brexit, chris davies, chuka umunna, eco housing, economy, ed davey, fishing, hong kong, joe carter, knife crime, policing, sentencing, tom brake, Wales and wera hobhouse | 1 Comment

17 July 2019 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 17th July 2019 - 11:15 pm

May’s Govt has treated victims of child trafficking appallingly

Following reports that hundreds of child trafficking victims have been refused the right to stay in the UK, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Ed Davey said:

Theresa May said that modern slavery is the greatest human rights issue of our time, but these revelations show that her government has treated victims appallingly.

The Government has a clear moral obligation to support children who have been trafficked to this country and held in slavery. The Conservatives’ failure shames our whole country.

The Liberal Democrats demand better protections for vulnerable people. Anyone who has

…

Posted in News | Tagged child refugees, ed davey, modern slavery, sheila ritchie and us government | 6 Comments

16 July 2019 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 16th July 2019 - 11:15 pm

Umunna: Ministers asleep at the wheel in the face of online shopping time bomb
New Lib Dem leader to hold Brexit talks with Barnier
Lib Dems: New PM must not delay Domestic Abuse Bill

Umunna: Ministers asleep at the wheel in the face of online shopping time bomb

The introduction of Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) will lead to two-factor authentication for all online purchases. The aim of this is to cut down on fraud and improve digital security, however the Government have failed to both support retailers or inform consumers about this change.

Furthermore, it is estimated that around 2 million people do not have …

Posted in News | Tagged brexit, catherine bearder, chuka umunna, domestic abuse, e-commerce, european parliament and wera hobhouse | 3 Comments

16 July 2019 – the overnight press release

By Mark Valladares | Tue 16th July 2019 - 6:45 am

Lib Dems: Govt must stop inaction to protect British farmers and the planet

Responding to the RSA Food, Farming & Countryside Commission report outlining a transition to a more sustainable food system and a new deal for the rural economy, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson, Alistair Carmichael, said:

Farming has a vital role to play in tackling the climate emergency and reversing the tragic loss of biodiversity. This report presents tangible steps to help transform our farming industry to one that works with the environment to produce sustainable, healthy food for the future.

Farmers must be placed at the heart of

…

Posted in News | Tagged Alistair Carmichael and farming | 1 Comment

15 July 2019 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 15th July 2019 - 11:15 pm

Law Centre closures show legal aid cuts have gone too far
Lib Dems: Honouring Turing ‘a painful reminder’
US trade deal delay more evidence of Brexit false promises
Home Office accused of deliberately lying to deport slavery victims

Law Centre closures show legal aid cuts have gone too far

Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson Jonathan Marks QC has called on the Conservative Government to reverse £500 million of legal aid cuts, as new figures showing that the number of legal advice centres has halved since 2014.

The figures, reported by the Guardian today, show that the number of Law Centres in England and Wales has fallen …

Posted in News | Tagged alan turing, brexit, ed davey, home office, john leech, jonathan marks, legal aid, money, tom brake, trade, united states and vince cable | Leave a comment

13-14 July 2019 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 14th July 2019 - 11:50 pm

FSB no-deal warning reinforces Tory irresponsibility

Responding to the warning this morning on Sky from the Chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Mike Cherry, that a no-deal Brexit would be disastrous for small businesses in the UK, Liberal Democrat Business and Treasury spokesperson Chuka Umunna MP said:

The uncertainty of Brexit hangs over all businesses in the UK. Small businesses spent millions preparing for the UK’s exit from the EU on the 29th March this year, but they do not have the resources to do so again.

The Conservatives have failed to put the interests of the country ahead of the

…

Posted in News | Tagged brexit, chuka umunna, federation of small businesses and tom brake | 2 Comments

12 July 2019 – today’s press release

By Mark Valladares | Fri 12th July 2019 - 11:15 pm

Pro-Trump PM could damage relations with Iran

Commenting on the escalating situation in the Gulf, Liberal Democrat Defence Spokesperson Jamie Stone MP said:

We must not allow the next Prime Minister to blindly follow Trump into a volatile anti-Iranian coalition.

It has become increasingly clear that Boris Johnson’s plans for a “global Britain” are just for the UK to be the lapdog of the US.

The EU have been principled and clear in standing firm on the Iranian nuclear deal, which Trump so petulantly tore up. Liberal Democrats will continue to urge the Conservative government, regardless of who the next PM is,

…

Posted in News | Tagged iran and jamie stone | 1 Comment

11 July 2019 – today’s press release

By Mark Valladares | Thu 11th July 2019 - 11:45 pm

Lib Dems: Appoint more female and BAME judges

The Liberal Democrats have called for clear “targets with teeth” for improving judicial diversity, as new figures show that just 7% of court judges are BAME and 32% are women.

The statistics, published today by the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales and the Senior President of Tribunals, show that:

Of the 39 Court of Appeal judges, only 9 (23%) are women and just 2 (6%) are BAME.
Of the 97 High Court judges, only 26 (27%) are women and just 3 (3%) are BAME.
Of all 3,210 court judges, only 1,013 (32%) are …

Posted in News | Tagged judicial appointments and wera hobhouse | Leave a comment

10 July 2019 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 10th July 2019 - 11:15 pm

Tories must follow Welsh govt in gender neutral school uniforms move

Welcoming the decision by the Welsh government to make school uniforms accessible and gender neutral, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Layla Moran MP said:

It is great news that children in Wales will be able to wear affordable, gender neutral school uniforms. I am proud of the role my colleague Liberal Democrat Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams has played in securing this progressive change.

The Conservative government must now take this step into the twenty-first century. Dictating what children wear because of their gender is outdated and harmful.

…

Posted in News | Tagged chris davies, european parliament, gender neutral school uniforms, Jo Swinson, layla moran, sir kim darroch and Wales | 11 Comments

10 July 2019 – the overnight press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 10th July 2019 - 6:45 am

Lib Dems: Govt squandering progress on climate change

Responding to the Climate Change Committee’s 2019 Progress Report to Parliament – detailing how the UK Government is “lagging far behind, what is needed” to meet the old climate change targets, let alone the new net-zero emissions target for 2050 – Liberal Democrat Climate Change Spokesperson Wera Hobhouse said:

This report shows that this Conservative Government is all talk and no action when it comes to climate change. They’re off-track, but instead of reversing their most damaging decisions such as effectively banning on-shore wind, slashing subsidies to solar power and scrapping the zero-carbon

…

Posted in News | Tagged climate change, eurotunnel, layla moran, tory incompetence and wera hobhouse | 1 Comment

9 July 2019 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 9th July 2019 - 11:45 pm

Labour are still a party of Brexit
Prisons inspector reveals Tory neglect
Northern Ireland votes mark historic step towards equality
Cable: We must continue the fight to stop no deal

Labour are still a party of Brexit

Responding to the reports that Jeremy Corbyn has finally agreed that the next PM must put their Brexit deal or a no deal exit to a People’s Vote, Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake said:

Labour are still a party of Brexit.

Jeremy Corbyn can pretend all he likes that the Labour Party are finally moving towards backing the Liberal Democrat policy of a People’s Vote, but it is clear

…

Posted in News | Tagged abortion, brexit, labour, layla moran, northern ireland, prison reform, same sex marriage, tom brake, vince cable and wera hobhouse | 5 Comments

9 July 2019 – the overnight press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 9th July 2019 - 6:45 am

Teachers agree – it’s time to scrap SATs

Responding to today’s indicative ballot by the National Education Union, revealing that 97% of primary school teachers want to replace Key Stage 2 SATs, Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Layla Moran MP said:

Today’s ballot shows that teachers have had enough with SATs. They want to deliver a high-quality education, rather than be put under the unnecessary pressure of a high-stakes testing regime that offers no benefit for their class.

The pressure on headteachers and teachers to perform well cascades down the school to pupils. Teachers put on revision classes, booster sessions

…

Posted in News | Tagged business, ed davey, layla moran and sats | 4 Comments

8 July 2019 – at the end of the day, it’s the end of the day…

By Mark Valladares | Mon 8th July 2019 - 11:15 pm

Well, thank you for your company today, and for your comments. Also, thanks to my colleagues, Paul and Caron, for filling some of the gaps.

The noble Lord Greaves has noted that, whilst not much has been happening, we did miss an interesting debate in the Lords on 27 June, proposed by Barbara Janke, on the impact of recent benefit changes on vulnerable people. We (and by that, I mean “I”) have rather lost the habit of reporting on the Lords. Perhaps I need to get back into the swing of that, as nobody else seems to be keen on doing …

Posted in News | Tagged culture and day editor | 3 Comments

8 July 2019 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 8th July 2019 - 11:00 pm

Two today, with two more embargoed until after midnight (we’ll publish them in the morning)…

Labour heads towards another Brexit fudge

Responding to the latest potential shift in Labour Brexit policy, Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake said:

The unions seem to have moved to a position to support Liberal Democrat policy to stop a Tory Brexit. However, a Labour Brexit would be no better. Labour must rule out their Brexit-supporting leader negotiating their own Brexit deal.

Liberal Democrats have been clear for three years on our policy for Brexit. We will keep fighting to stop Brexit.

Even now, after millions of remainers have deserted

…

Posted in News | Tagged brexit, donald trump, Jo Swinson, labour and tom brake | 1 Comment

A new week starts, not much happening…

By Mark Valladares | Mon 8th July 2019 - 10:30 am

Welcome to another week of political drift. With both ourselves and the Conservatives (and by extension the country) waiting for new leaders, and the Labour Party merely waiting for signs of leadership from the incumbent on the biggest issue of the day, it’s fair to say that government is a bit like an aircraft awaiting a landing slot at a congested airport – merely circling the intended destination but not actually reaching it.

And yet, with the current deadline for a Brexit deal less than four months away, and Parliament still due to go into a five week recess in just …

Posted in News | 13 Comments

8 July 2019 – the overnight press release

By Mark Valladares | Mon 8th July 2019 - 6:48 am

Davey: Underfunding of Children’s Services is costing police time

Responding to research by the Howard League for Penal Reform, which shows that some children’s homes call the police 200 times a year, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Ed Davey said:

The Conservative Government is underfunding Children’s Services, and that’s a false economy. When they don’t have the staff to deal with these issues, it falls to the police at much greater cost.

We also need different services to work together to address the factors that cause children to run away or engage in criminal behaviour in the first place.

…

Posted in News | Tagged children's services, crime and policing and ed davey | 1 Comment

6-7 July 2019 – the weekend’s press release

By Mark Valladares | Sun 7th July 2019 - 10:00 pm

McDonnell guilty of incredible hypocrisy

Commenting on John McDonnell’s appearance on the Andrew Marr show, Liberal Democrat Treasury and Business spokesperson Chuka Umunna said:

John McDonnell has displayed incredible hypocrisy pretending to be pro-Remain. Not only has he campaigned for decades to leave the EU, as recently as last year he argued that Remain should not be on the ballot in a People’s Vote.

The Labour leadership have let down Remainers again and again and can’t be trusted to campaign unequivocally to stay in the EU. Labour policy is still to facilitate Brexit and prioritise their alternative Brexit deal.

People can

…

Posted in News | Tagged brexit, chuka umunna and labour | 28 Comments

5 July 2019 – today’s press release

By Mark Valladares | Fri 5th July 2019 - 11:15 pm

Lib Dems: Govt must listen to police chiefs’ warning

Responding to a warning from five former Met Police Commissioners that the police service “has had its resources drained to dangerously low levels”, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Ed Davey said:

When even former police chiefs are talking about a ‘feeling of lawlessness’ it’s clear that urgent action is needed. Will the Government listen now?

Unnecessary Conservative cuts have taken 5,000 police officers off our streets since 2015, contributing to the rise in violent crime and making our communities less safe. Far too many crimes go unsolved and too many young people

…

Posted in News | Tagged crime and policing and ed davey | 3 Comments

4 July 2019 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 4th July 2019 - 11:30 pm

Lib Dems: Govt must tackle obesity crisis to save lives
Lib Dems: Increase in SEND pupils will squeeze school budgets further
Welsh Liberal Democrats – Wales now a remain nation
Lib Dems: Overstretched school budgets are putting our children’s health at risk

Lib Dems: Govt must tackle obesity crisis to save lives

Responding to Cancer Research UK reporting that obesity now causes more cases of four common cancers in the UK than smoking, Liberal Democrat Health spokesperson Judith Jolly said:

The reports that many cancers are more likely being caused by being overweight than smoking shows the need for Government to step up plans to tackle

…

Posted in News | Tagged brexit, christine humphreys, education spending, judith jolly, layla moran, special educational needs, sugar tax and Wales | 2 Comments

3 July 2019 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 3rd July 2019 - 11:30 pm

Lib Dems demand new committee to assess no-deal damage
Lamb criticises whistleblower protections as “fundamentally inadequate”
Lib Dems produce bill to stop Govt’s publicity stunt approach to plastics
Lib Dems: Govt must tackle obesity crisis to save lives

Lib Dems demand new committee to assess no-deal damage

Today, the Liberal Democrats with a cross-party group in the House of Lords will attempt to create a a joint parliamentary committee of MPs and Peers to consider the impact of the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement on 31 October 2019.

The motion not only calls for the creation of the joint committee, but that they …

Posted in News | Tagged Alistair Carmichael, brexit, dick newby, judith jolly, norman lamb, obesity, single use plastics, sugar tax and whistleblowers | 5 Comments

2 July 2019 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 2nd July 2019 - 11:50 pm

Umunna: Johnson Brexit policy will result in £90bn hit to the public purse

The Chancellor has today confirmed that the Government is already having to hold back £26-27 billion of fiscal headroom to deal with the disastrous impact of a No Deal exit from the European Union, and that even more than that will be needed. Furthermore, the Government’s own analysis shows that a disruptive No Deal Brexit will hit the public purse by £90 billion as a minimum.

Commenting on the Chancellor Phillip Hammond’s remarks, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Treasury and Business, Chuka Umunna MP, said:

Boris Johnson plans to give

…

Posted in News | Tagged Alistair Carmichael, chuka umunna, economy, hong kong, layla moran and local government finance | 2 Comments

1 July 2019 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 1st July 2019 - 11:40 pm

‘No-deal war chest’ shows Hunt lost all sense of reality

Responding to Jeremy Hunt’s proposed ‘£6 billion war chest’ to prepare for a no-deal Brexit, Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake said:

Jeremy Hunt’s ‘no-deal war chest’ is no more based in fact than the mythical promises that were made during the referendum. £6 billion is nowhere near enough to protect the people of Britain from a no-deal Brexit.

Jeremy Hunt keeps promising that he will mitigate the effects of no-deal on British business, but what he could do is just not throw our economy under the bus in the first place.

It is

…

Posted in News | Tagged brexit, children’s health care, jeremy hunt, norman lamb and tom brake | 1 Comment

29 June – 1 July 2019 – the weekend and overnight press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 1st July 2019 - 9:30 am

Labour leadership tone deaf to a People’s Vote

Responding to Len McCluskey’s comments on the Andrew Marr show this morning, Liberal Democrat Brexit spokespeson Tom Brake said:

No matter how loudly some in the Labour party demand that the leadership change its position on Brexit, it is clear it is still falling on deaf ears.

It is insincere to only offer a People’s Vote if it’s a Labour deal on the table. Any Brexit plan must go back to the British public.

Any Brexit deal, whether negotiated by Theresa May, Boris Johnson or Jeremy Corbyn will be bad for our country. It will damage

…

Posted in News | Tagged dementia, judith jolly, labour, lib dem leadership election 2019, peoples vote, sal brinton, social care and tom brake | Leave a comment

28 June 2019 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 28th June 2019 - 11:50 pm

Lib Dems: Conservatives are not doing enough to make our country safe

Commenting on the National Audit Office’s report into serious and organised crime, which reveals ‘significant and avoidable shortcomings’ by the government, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Ed Davey said:

From County Lines drug trafficking to child sexual exploitation and modern slavery, organised crime gangs are ruining lives and damaging our country. This report reveals that the Conservatives are not doing nearly enough to prevent these appalling crimes and keep our country safe.

Police forces and the National Crime Agency need urgent additional resources to deal with the growing scale

…

Posted in News | Tagged crime, ed davey, Jo Swinson, liberalism and public safety | 2 Comments

27 June 2019 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 27th June 2019 - 11:58 pm

Johnson pandering to Farage over immigration

Responding to Boris Johnson’s promises to investigate an ‘Australian-style’ policy for immigration, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Ed Davey said:

Immigration has been a great thing for our country. But politicians like Johnson have vilified those coming to help build and contribute to our great country for their own political gain in the Brexit debate.

Yet businesses across the country are already having to deal with acute shortages of staff thanks to the Brexit uncertainty, and this proposal from our potential next PM does nothing to solve that. If implemented, an Australian-style visa cap would

…

Posted in News | Tagged boris johnson, ed davey, education policy, immigration policy and layla moran | 8 Comments

26 June 2019 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 26th June 2019 - 11:57 pm

Lib Dems: Giving revenge porn victims anonymity is long overdue

Responding to reports that the Government is considering granting anonymity to victims of revenge porn in prosecutions as part of a review of image-based sexual abuse laws, Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson Wera Hobhouse said:

Revenge porn is a despicable form of abuse. Guaranteeing anonymity for victims is a change that is long overdue.

The Liberal Democrats led the fight to outlaw revenge porn in 2015, but prosecutions are still far too low.

That’s why the Liberal Democrats tabled legislation to extend anonymity to victims back in 2016, but the Conservatives

…

Posted in News | Tagged brexit, brian paddick, knife crime, revenge porn, tom brake and wera hobhouse | 1 Comment

24 June 2019 – today’s press release

By Mark Valladares | Mon 24th June 2019 - 11:45 pm

Liberal Democrats score victory for access to justice

The House of Lords has today passed a Liberal Democrat amendment to the Courts and Tribunals (Online Procedure) Bill that will protect access to justice for people at risk of being digitally excluded.

The Government Bill brings a number of court procedures online. Liberal Democrat peers, led by Justice Spokesperson Jonathan Marks, have raised concerns that moving certain proceedings online may put those who struggle to easily access digital systems at risk of being excluded from access to justice.

Lord Marks therefore tabled an amendment to the Bill to put a statutory duty on …

Posted in News | Tagged digital exclusion, house of lords and jonathan marks | 6 Comments

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Author Archives: Mark Valladares

19 July 2019 – live from Brecon, today’s press releases…

19 July 2019 – the overnight press releases

18 July 2019 – yesterday’s press releases

17 July 2019 – today’s press releases

16 July 2019 – today’s press releases

16 July 2019 – the overnight press release

15 July 2019 – today’s press releases

13-14 July 2019 – the weekend’s press releases

12 July 2019 – today’s press release

11 July 2019 – today’s press release

10 July 2019 – today’s press releases

10 July 2019 – the overnight press releases

9 July 2019 – today’s press releases

9 July 2019 – the overnight press releases

8 July 2019 – at the end of the day, it’s the end of the day…

8 July 2019 – today’s press releases

A new week starts, not much happening…

8 July 2019 – the overnight press release

6-7 July 2019 – the weekend’s press release

5 July 2019 – today’s press release

4 July 2019 – today’s press releases

3 July 2019 – today’s press releases

2 July 2019 – today’s press releases

1 July 2019 – today’s press releases

28 June 2019 – today’s press releases

27 June 2019 – today’s press releases

26 June 2019 – today’s press releases

24 June 2019 – today’s press release

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Author Archives: Mark Valladares

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