Author Archives: Mark Valladares

I’m a veteran Party bureaucrat, having joined the old Liberal Party at university. And, perhaps not entirely surprisingly, I’ve held a range of positions since then - everything from Secretary-General of the Young Liberals to being a member of the ALDE Party‘s Financial Advisory Committee. Returning Officer, Presidential consort, committee secretary, you name it, I’ve probably done it. These days, I’m the Chair of the Parish Council for a (very) small rural village in Suffolk’s Gipping Valley, and a member of the East of England Regional Candidates Committee.
Mark Valladares

21-25 October 2024 – this week in the Lords

By Mark Valladares | Mon 21st October 2024 - 2:03 pm

I really ought to get better at producing this mostly erratic column. After all, with all those new MPs on the green benches, the prospects of decent coverage of our Parliamentary Party in the Lords fall somewhat, and they’re still as busy as ever…

We’ll start with a quick trot through the business for the week.

There are four Bills before their Lordships’ House this week:

Naturally, the Liberal Democrats have been busy teasing out the Government’s plans on railway passenger services and facilities, with strong interventions two weeks ago from Bill Bradshaw (a former General Manager of British Rail’s Western Region), Caroline Pidgeon (making her maiden speech), Ros Scott, Sal Brinton and, of course, our Transport Spokesperson, Jenny Randerson.

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Mark Valladares

Welcome to my day: 21 October 2024 – you’d wonder why anyone would be a councillor…

By Mark Valladares | Mon 21st October 2024 - 7:24 am

As I may have noted before, I’m a parish councillor in a small, but perfectly-formed, village in Suffolk’s Gipping Valley. And, generally, the role isn’t that stressful. After all, my council provides no services of a life or death nature, nor do we provide services which impact hugely on people’s lives, like education, social care or housing. But, even here, there can be contentious issues which impact on us. Planning applications for example, and whilst we have no decision making powers there either, as a statutory consultee, our residents expect us to represent their views to the powers that be. They believe, not unreasonably, that the powers that be must listen to us – if only that were true. And discussions can get a bit heated, even when party politics isn’t in play.

But I’ve been, on the whole, pretty lucky. I’ve received very little hassle, and all of that has come from outsiders. But I was reminded at the weekend that, that is increasingly not true of my fellow councillors at all tiers of local government. A report issued by the Local Government Association on Saturday noted that, in a survey of its members, 22% of respondents stated that they had received death threats or threats of violence against them.

And it’s not just the public who can make life difficult or impossible for an individual councillor. Opposition councillors and, even more depressingly, members of your own Party can be the source of behaviour that is designed to humiliate, embarrass or even frighten you. Too many of us have witnessed that, or been the victim of it.

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Mark Valladares

19-20 October 2024 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 20th October 2024 - 10:30 pm
  • Water company bonuses rise this year despite sewage scandal
  • 2024 on track to be record worst year for cancer care
  • Cole-Hamilton reveals dozens of dentists retiring early in NHS exodus
  • Only 7 days when CalMac sailings ran to timetable in 15 months

Water company bonuses rise this year despite sewage scandal

  • Shocking research finds water company executives paid themselves more in bonuses and pensions this year
  • England and Wales water firms hand out £9.1million in bonuses to executives this year
  • Thames Water, Severn Trent and South West Water worst offenders for paying executives even more in bonuses this year
  • Liberal Democrats call for immediate ban on water company bonuses

Shocking new research by the Liberal Democrats has revealed water company executive bonuses have risen to £9.1m in 2023/2024.

The bosses of disgraced firms received over £20m in total, including basic pay, pension contributions and bonuses.

The party’s annual Sewage Bonus Tracker using analysis of Company House records, found water firms including Thames Water, Severn Trent and South West Water all increased their bonus pool for executives, despite polluting waterways with raw sewage.

The new findings come despite 2023 being a record year for the amount of sewage dumped into waterways, with Environment Agency data revealing more than 3.6m hours of sewage flowed into rivers and seas, up a staggering 105% annually.

Thames Water bonus payouts to executives almost double year-on-year, from £746,000 in 2022/2023 to a staggering £1.3m 2023/2024. This is despite Thames Water’s CEO quitting halfway through the year following financial issues.

The biggest bonus payout for executives was by Severn Trent, who paid their 3 executives an eye-watering £3.3million in bonuses, an increase year-on-year.

Pension contributions for water company executives rose to a new high of £1.7m this year. Thames Water paid their executives £754,000 in pension contributions alone last year.

Base pay for water company executives also remained at over £9m last year, with just one executive at Northumbrian Water paying themselves £421,000.

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Mark Valladares

17 October 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 17th October 2024 - 10:30 pm
  • NHS repair costs rises to £13.8bn as Lib Dems call for comprehensive plan to end the backlog
  • McArthur responds to dental deserts in Orkney and elsewhere

NHS repair costs rises to £13.8bn as Lib Dems call for comprehensive plan to end the backlog

Responding to the latest NHS figures showing that the cost of repairs to the NHS estate now stands at £13.8bn, up from £11.6bn last year Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Health and Social Care, Helen Morgan MP said:

This comes as no surprise to anyone that works in the NHS. Crumbling hospital buildings, flooded wards, and rat infested basements are just the

…

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Mark Valladares

16 October 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 16th October 2024 - 11:30 pm
  • Inflation: Welcome fall but winter will still be difficult for the most vulnerable
  • McArthur welcomes Leadbetter bill on assisted dying
  • Wendy Chamberlain MP lodges Bill to remove red tape on charity lottery fundraising
  • Closure of Rural Housing Scotland must mean soul-searching for SNP ministers
  • McArthur responds to public letter by chief medical officers

Inflation: Welcome fall but winter will still be difficult for the most vulnerable

Responding to the latest inflation figures, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

The fall in inflation is welcome but we can’t fool ourselves that this winter won’t be difficult for the most vulnerable.

The price of a weekly shop is still sky high, energy prices have risen once again and people are still feeling the effects of the spike in mortgage rates.

The government must urgently look at ways to support the most vulnerable this winter and that should start by reversing their decision to cut Winter Fuel Payments for millions of worried pensioners.

McArthur welcomes Leadbetter bill on assisted dying

Speaking ahead of the introduction of assisted dying legislation in the UK Parliament, Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur has welcomed the move and said that it represents more evidence of the momentum that is building behind a change to the law.

Kim Leadbeater, Labour MP for Spen Valley, will formally introduce her bill on choice at the end of life at its First Reading in the House of Commons on Wednesday 16th October 2024.

The Bill will have its Second Reading debate on Friday 29 November – the first opportunity MPs will have to debate and vote on an assisted dying bill since 2015.

Mr McArthur said:

Our current laws on assisted dying are failing too many terminally ill Brits, often leaving them facing an undignified and sometimes painful death despite the very best efforts of palliative care. It is clear that a new compassionate and safe law is required.

The introduction of legislation in the UK Parliament is evidence of the growing momentum that is building behind changing the law.

In recent weeks I have spoken with Kim about both the need for and the evidence backing a change to the existing law that causes anguish for so many people and I am confident that she will be an eloquent and determined champion for dying people seeking choice at the end of life.

As MPs debate this important issue, I hope they will listen to the overwhelming majority who want to see the law changed. Both Kim and I will be making the case for greater choice and compassion as parliamentarians scrutinise our bills going forward.

Wendy Chamberlain MP lodges Bill to remove red tape on charity lottery fundraising

Wendy Chamberlain, MP for Fife North East, has today lodged a Private Members Bill in the House of Commons seeking to remove the outdated caps on charity lottery fundraising.

At present each charity lottery is capped at selling £50 million worth of tickets each year, which acts as a break on its ability to maximise funds for good causes. These sales caps restrict the amount and flexibility of charitable funds such lotteries generate for good causes across the country. Ms Chamberlain’s Bill would remove these limits, which apply to no other form of charity fundraising or to any other gambling product.

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Mark Valladares

15 October 2024 – yesterday’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 16th October 2024 - 10:15 pm
  • Wage Growth falls: Govt must back small businesses as the backbone of our economy
  • NI Rise: Chancellor needs to think again
  • Poll: 1 in 4 reveal they are unable to work because they can’t get a NHS appointment
  • Lib Dems urge further UK government sanctions to proscribe far-right Israeli ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich
  • Highland MP to lead debate on Community Benefits from Renewables
  • Cole-Hamilton: A&E waits once again worse than last year

Wage Growth falls: Govt must back small businesses as the backbone of our economy

Responding to the latest wage growth figures falling by 4.9%, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

The cost of living crisis is still affecting many people across the country.

The cost of the weekly shop remains sky high compared to a few years ago, and years of mismanagement under the Conservative Government had squeezed people’s pay.

The Government must use the Autumn Budget to tackle the cost-of-living crisis facing pensioners and families, and also back small businesses as the backbone of our economy.

NI Rise: Chancellor needs to think again

Responding to Keir Starmer refusing to rule out a National Insurance increase for employers in the Budget on BBC Breakfast, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader and Treasury Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

The Chancellor needs to think again if the government is considering hiking taxes on small businesses, who have already suffered from eye-watering tax rises under the last Conservative government.

The burden of this budget should fall on the likes of big banks, social media giants and oil and gas firms, instead of our local community businesses. The Chancellor should be protecting these smaller businesses, who are the backbone of our economy and the heartbeat of our communities.

Now is not the time to raise national insurance rates on our high streets, local businesses and dynamic entrepreneurs.

The Conservative government has left our economy on life support. Now is the time to boost growth by backing small businesses and repairing our crumbling public services.

Poll: 1 in 4 reveal they are unable to work because they can’t get a NHS appointment

  • The Liberal Democrats will be using their first full opposition day in 15 years to focus on the NHS and care crisis.
  • Almost half (45%) of Brits have tried to get a NHS appointment in the last year and have been unable to.
  • 1 in 4 (27%) reveal they are unable to work because they can’t get a NHS appointment
  • Almost three in five (58%) adults who were unable to get a NHS appointment have self-diagnosed from searching their symptoms online.

The Liberal Democrats will use their opposition day in Parliament tomorrow to raise the NHS crisis, as a shocking new poll commissioned by the party reveals reveals a quarter (27%) of working adults in the UK say they have been unable to work in the last 12 months because they were waiting for a GP (19%) or NHS dentist appointment (12%).

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Mark Valladares

14 October 2024 – today’s press release

By Mark Valladares | Mon 14th October 2024 - 11:56 pm

McArthur hits out at above inflation ferry fare rise

Responding to the news that ferry fares across Scotland will increase by 10% from next year, Orkney MSP Liam McArthur said:

This fare hike will come as a serious blow to households and businesses in Orkney who rely on these lifeline services and who continue to struggle with cost of living pressures.

When the Scottish Government ‘froze’ fares last year, Ministers congratulated themselves for having protected island communities. At no time did they suggest that their generosity would be clawed back in future years through an inflation-busting increase.

People in Orkney will rightly be suspicious

…

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Mark Valladares

Maiden speeches: Baroness (Caroline) Pidgeon

By Mark Valladares | Mon 14th October 2024 - 12:56 pm

We’ve published a series of maiden speeches from the House of Commons, as our new MPs dip their toes in the water for the first time. But we’ve also had a new peer take her seat, as Caroline Pidgeon has joined the ranks of our Parliamentary Party in the Lords. The Second Reading of the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill took place last Monday, and Caroline took this opportunity to make her (well-received) debut…

My Lords, it is an honour and a privilege to speak in your Lordships’ House for the first time. Over the last few weeks, I have

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Mark Valladares

12-13 October 2024 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 13th October 2024 - 10:30 pm
  • Blow for new Scot Tory leader as poll shows voters less likely to vote for someone who endorsed Liz Truss
  • Rennie writes to minister as steel staff furloughed
  • Lord Wallace responds to death of Alex Salmond

Blow for new Scot Tory leader as poll shows voters less likely to vote for someone who endorsed Liz Truss

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have today described new polling as a “bitter blow” for the new Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay, as polling carried out by Savanta showed that 31% of Scots said they would be less likely to vote Conservative if their new leader had backed Liz Truss in the 2022 Conservative leadership race. Just 4% said they would be more likely to vote Conservative.

During the leadership election Mr Findlay published a video endorsing Liz Truss’ “positive vision”, describing her as “optimistic and authentic” and declaring “In Liz We Trust”.

The polling also showed that significant numbers of UK voters (35%) would be less likely to vote for the Conservatives if the party leader had said they would vote for Donald Trump if they were an American citizen as Conservative Leadership candidate Robert Jenrick has done.” A similar proportion was also put off by Kemi Badenoch’s maternity pay comments (35%).

Commenting, Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain said:

This polling will be a bitter blow for the new Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay. The Scottish public will have little sympathy for anyone who was happily cheerleading for Liz Truss.

Her disastrous decisions sent mortgage costs skyrocketing and deepened the cost-of-living crisis. It makes Russell Findlay’s judgment look deeply suspect.

Former Conservative voters abandoned the party in massive numbers at the last election. In so many places across the country, people are backing the Liberal Democrats who are speaking up for them on the issues that matter most like bringing down NHS waiting lists, tackling the cost-of-living crisis and stopping the sewage scandal.

Rennie writes to minister as steel staff furloughed

Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Willie Rennie has today written to Economy Secretary Kate Forbes to urge her to investigate events at the Dalzell steelworks in Motherwell after he was contacted by plant insiders who told him that employees are at home on 80% wages with no work due to issues with cash flow and input prices.

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Mark Valladares

11 October 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 11th October 2024 - 10:50 pm
  • WFP People’s Health Trust: every day we hear more about just how difficult it will be for millions of pensioners
  • GDP: Last govt left our economy on life support
  • 100 days since GE: Govt should act “bolder and faster” to tackle the issues the country is facing
  • Rennie: Reckless behaviour of education secretary undermines Scottish education
  • Perth & Kinross Lib Dem secures Dunkeld housing deal

WFP People’s Health Trust: every day we hear more about just how difficult it will be for millions of pensioners

Responding to the People’s Health Trust report that says vulnerable pensioners face ‘impossible choices’ around heating and eating this winter as a result of the government’s cuts to Winter Fuel Payments, Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions spokesperson Steve Darling MP said:

It seems everyday we hear more and more about just how difficult it is going to be for vulnerable pensioners this winter as a result of the government’s cuts.

Pressing ahead with these cuts simply cannot be allowed to happen.

The government must reverse their decision and ensure that the millions potentially at risk of choosing between heating and eating this winter get the support they need.

GDP: Last govt left our economy on life support

Responding to the news the UK economy grew by 0.2% in August, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader and Treasury Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

The last Conservative government left our economy on life support, and now it needs urgent investment in our public services and infrastructure to bring it back to life.

The economy won’t recover until the government fixes our NHS and care services so people can get back to work.

100 days since GE: Govt should act “bolder and faster” to tackle the issues the country is facing

On the hundredth day since the General Election, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has called on the Government to act “bolder and faster” to tackle the issues the country is facing.

Since the General Election, the Liberal Democrats have called on the Labour Government to cancel their cuts to the Winter Fuel Allowance, introduce a new “Winterproof NHS Taskforce” and clamp down on the sewage scandal by ending water bosses bonuses.

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Mark Valladares

10 October 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 10th October 2024 - 10:30 pm
  • Four in five NHS trusts missing cancer target as Lib Dems call for health service to be number one priority at the Budget
  • Cole-Hamilton files parliamentary motion on antisocial behaviour
  • Rennie comments as metal tycoon faces prosecution over accounts
  • Cole-Hamilton raises ADHD waits with First Minister
  • Rennie responds to Audit Scotland report

Four in five NHS trusts missing cancer target as Lib Dems call for health service to be number one priority at the Budget

Responding to the latest NHS data which shows that 123 NHS Trusts, 82.5%, missed their cancer waiting time target in August of treating 85% of patients within 62-days of an urgent referral, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said:

Having a cancer diagnosis is one of the most terrifying moments of anyone’s life. Everyone should get the treatment and care they need when they need it. Sadly, we have heard countless stories where that is just not the case.

The previous Conservative government’s neglect and mismanagement of the NHS has left vital services struggling to provide care and hospitals crumbling. The Conservative Party has proven itself unfit to ever be trusted with our health service again.

It is now down to the new government to rise to the greatest challenge facing our country, rescuing the NHS. That means treating it as the number one priority at the Budget, to get our health service the resources it needs to get patients the life saving care they deserve.

Cole-Hamilton files parliamentary motion on antisocial behaviour

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has filed a parliamentary motion on antisocial behaviour which calls on the Scottish Government to strengthen police and community responses to ensure that all reports of antisocial behaviour are taken seriously and effectively addressed.

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Mark Valladares

9 October 2024 – yesterday’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 10th October 2024 - 7:31 am
  • Age UK report: WFP cut will be a “crushing blow” for most vulnerable
  • Over 3 in 10 less likely to vote for Conservatives over leadership candidate out of touch views
  • Conservative leadership election: If this were an interview process they would’ve put the job advert up again

Age UK report: WFP cut will be a “crushing blow” for most vulnerable

Responding to the Age UK report which shows that four in five pensioners living below or just above the poverty line will lose the Winter Fuel Payment as a result of the government’s cuts, Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions spokesperson Steve Darling MP said:

We have heard countless stories in recent weeks of pensioners terrified about just making it through the winter without having to choose between heating and eating. This reports lays bare just how frightening these cuts are for so many.

To push ahead with taking away this support would be a crushing blow for some of the most vulnerable in society and it cannot be allowed to go ahead.

The government must change course and get these people the support they need this winter.

Over 3 in 10 less likely to vote for Conservatives over leadership candidate out of touch views

  • New polling shows over 3 in 10 (35%) would be less likely to vote Conservative if their leader were someone who said they would vote for Trump
  • Over 3 in 10 (35%) people also say that they would be less likely to vote Conservative if their leader said that maternity pay was ‘excessive’
  • Over 3 in 10 (35%) also said they would be less likely to vote for the Party if their leader had made a comment that trivialised drink-spiking
  • 3 in 10 (31%) Brits also said they would be less likely to vote Conservative if their new leader backed Liz Truss in the 2022 Conservative leadership race

New polling commissioned by the Liberal Democrats and carried out by Savanta has shown that some comments made by Conservative Party Leadership candidates would make over 3 in 10 people less likely to vote Conservative.

When asked how likely they would be to vote for the Conservatives if the party leader had said they would vote for Donald Trump if they were an American citizen, 35% of Brits said they would. This comes after Conservative Leadership candidate Robert Jennrick said “If I were an American citizen, I would be voting for Donald Trump.” A similar proportion was also put off by Kemi Badenoch’s maternity pay comments (35%) and James Cleverly’s comments that trivialised drink spiking (35%).

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Mark Valladares

8 October 2024 – yesterday’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 9th October 2024 - 11:55 pm
  • Water companies revealed to escape fines as Lib Dems force new sewage vote in Parliament
  • Water Bills: Govt must enforce tougher restrictions on water companies
  • Cole-Hamilton calls for support as thousands of NHS staff off on long term sick
  • Action needed on Welsh water quality
  • Cole-Hamilton: A&E in permacrisis under SNP
  • Drug deaths crisis brings untold suffering
  • Rennie responds to Swinney’s poverty comments
  • Chairman of scandal-hit water regulator quits

Water companies revealed to escape fines as Lib Dems force new sewage vote in Parliament

  • Liberal Democrats to force parliamentary vote on outright ban on water company bosses bonuses
  • New Freedom of Information Request reveals Ofwat has failed to levy any fines against disgraced firms and employs just 8 full time staff on sewage investigations
  • Ed Davey slams government decision to let Ofwat decide new water company bosses bonuses

The Liberal Democrats plan to table an amendment which outlaws water company bonuses as the government’s new Water Bill enters Parliament tomorrow (9 October).

It comes as a shocking new Freedom of Information request by the Liberal Democrats found that Ofwat admitted “we have not issued any fines in connection with how water companies manage their sewage treatment” Since they launched their investigation into water companies’ sewage discharges in November 2021. Instead, Ofwat is still in “consultation” with the water companies it aims to fine.

The new findings revealed by the Liberal Democrats goes on to state that Ofwat’s investigation into sewage treatment works has a staffing of just 8.5 full-time employees, “many” of whom are working on the report “alongside other projects”.

This scant, part-time staffing raises serious questions over the regulator’s resources and powers to properly scrutinise water companies it oversees – particularly given that Ofwat’s CEO called the project “the largest and most complex investigation” the watchdog has ever undertaken.

Ofwat told the Lib Dems that “many of the people working on the investigation do so for a portion of their time alongside other projects”, and that the regulator is “in the process of recruiting further staff”.

Under the government’s new Water Bill, water company executive bonuses will be determined by key test indicators established by Ofwat. Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey is calling for Ofwat to be scrapped as a failed regulator which should have no role in determining water company bonuses.

Analysis of Company House records by the Liberal Democrats has found water company executives have made £35 million in bonuses since 2021.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

It is time for Parliament to stand up and take action on the sewage crisis after years of failure under the Conservatives.

The new government’s attempt is sadly a job half done. A toothless and tired regulator will fail to end the scandal of multi-million pound bonuses for sewage dumpers.

We need water company executive bonuses banned until the sewage dumping stops. This disgraced industry has shown it is not worthy of any bonuses.

Conservative MPs spent years voting against a ban on sewage bonuses and propping up a failed regulator. It is time to rip up the industry, with companies which no longer put profit before the environment, and a proper regulator with real power.

Liberal Democrat MPs standby ready to work with the government to make sure the new Water Bill protects local communities from foul sewage.

Water Bills: Govt must enforce tougher restrictions on water companies

Commenting on the latest Ofwat reports, which revealed that water firms have been told to cut bills over poor performance, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson Tim Farron MP said:

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Mark Valladares

7 October 2024 – today’s press release

By Mark Valladares | Mon 7th October 2024 - 11:24 pm

STUC withdraw support for SNP takeover of care services

Responding to the news that the STUC has withdrawn support for the Scottish Government’s proposed centralisation of care services, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

For too long an attitude of “SNP ministers know best” has blighted the management of public services.

This legislation has been exposed as completely unfit for purpose. It does nothing to ease pressures on care staff and services. Instead it would wrench away control of services from communities.

People want local control and influence over the social care services they rely on. They don’t want decisions about care in

…

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Mark Valladares

5-6 October 2024 – the weekend press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 6th October 2024 - 10:30 pm
  • Children with developmental concerns almost doubles
  • McArthur launches probe into proposed use of live facial recognition tech
  • New survey lays bare crisis in social care

Children with developmental concerns almost doubles

Scottish Liberal Democrat communities spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP has today urged the SNP government to do far more to support children from poorer backgrounds, as new figures revealed that the percentage of children with developmental concerns has almost doubled since 2019.

Child health reviews are offered to all children in Scotland. These reviews refer to assessments of a child’s development at 13-15 months, 27-30 months and 4-5 years.

The figures from Public Health Scotland published this week show:

  • Of those children who received a 4-5 year review, the percentage with developmental concerns increased from 11.87% in 2019 to 17.71% in 2024.
  • 16.68% of children who received a 27-30 month review (1,915 children) had a concern noted about at least one area of their development;
  • There were high numbers of children who had a concern noted in the following areas: gross motor, speech, language and communication and emotional and behavioural;
  • 11.53% of children who received a 27-30 month review had a new or previous concern recorded for speech, language and communication, while 8.1% of children who received a 13-15 month review had a new or previous concern recorded for gross motor.

Mr Rennie said:

Scotland’s children should be growing up in the best environment, but on the SNP’s watch far too many are showing developmental concerns.

The pandemic was incredibly challenging for parents and children. Rather than invest to support families, SNP ministers have fallen short.

The government must put in place extra support for all those children who have had a developmental concern noted. I want to see ministers doing everything in their power to ensure that issues are identified and addressed as early as possible so that every child can flourish, no matter their background or circumstance.

McArthur launches probe into proposed use of live facial recognition tech

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur has filed 40 parliamentary questions on Police Scotland’s proposed use of live facial recognition as he bids to force the Scottish Government to explain how the measures are compatible with equalities and civil liberties concerns.

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Mark Valladares

3 October 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 3rd October 2024 - 11:58 pm
  • Record high numbers living in temporary accommodation as Lib Dems call on govt to end homelessness this Parliament
  • Ed Davey calls for boost for unpaid carers as figures show one in four not in work
  • Cole-Hamilton pens letter to former Conservative voters urging them to abandon party
  • 1 in 9 Scots report mental health condition
  • 627,700 unpaid carers in Scotland
  • Cole-Hamilton comments on further Creative Scotland funding delay

Record high numbers living in temporary accommodation as Lib Dems call on govt to end homelessness this Parliament

The number of families living in temporary accommodation has reached a record high, the latest homelessness statistics have revealed, while there has been a 14.2% rise in rough sleeping.

The number of households reported in temporary accommodation reached 117,450 in March 2024 – the highest figure since these records began in 1998. This includes a 14.7% rise in the number of households with children living in temporary accommodation taking the total to 74,530.

There were also large increases last year in the number of households owed homelessness support by their local authority. Local authorities made 94,280 main homelessness duty decisions in 2023-24 – up by 25.1% on 2022-23.

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to publish a cross-Whitehall plan to end all forms of homelessness within this Parliament. The party said that the plans should include more support for councils to tackle the shocking rise in the number of people in temporary accommodation.

Responding to the latest figures, Liberal Democrat Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson, Vikki Slade MP said:

It is heartbreaking to think that so many families and children will be on the streets or without a place to call home this winter.

For years, the previous Conservative government chose to ignore the thousands that are rough sleeping and broke their promise to ban no fault evictions.

The new government must address this awful situation as a matter of urgency and that starts by publishing a cross-Whitehall plan to end all forms of homelessness within this Parliament.

This strategy must include more support for councils to tackle the shocking rise in families using temporary accommodation. No longer should we see people forced to sleep rough and unable to access the support they need.

Ed Davey calls for boost for unpaid carers as figures show one in four not in work

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey will call on the government to boost support for unpaid carers, on a visit to a charity that supports children and young adults with Down syndrome and those who care for them.

It comes as House of Commons Library research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed unpaid carers are a sixth less likely to be employed, with one in four classed as ‘economically inactive’.

The data reveals that just 50% of ‘adult informal carers’ were in employment compared to 60% of all adults, making them a sixth less likely to be employed. Disturbingly, the data also showed that informal carers were a third more likely to be ‘permanently sick/disabled’ than the rest of the population, with almost one in 10 unpaid carers classified to be so.

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Mark Valladares

2 October 2024 – yesterday’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 3rd October 2024 - 7:30 am
  • Conservative leadership: To call this contest scraping the bottom of the barrel would be an insult to barrels
  • Davey: New Govt must make repairing our broken relationship with Europe a priority
  • Welsh Government urged to adopt successful family court model – Substance use among parents dropped by over a quarter
  • McArthur comments on prisoner early release figures

Conservative leadership: To call this contest scraping the bottom of the barrel would be an insult to barrels

Responding to the speeches made by the four Conservative leadership candidates at their party’s conference today, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said:

To call this contest scraping the bottom of the barrel would be an insult to barrels. Every day this leadership contest goes on reminds the public why they voted to kick the Conservatives out of office.

The leadership candidates are competing in an undignified race to the bottom, suggesting maternity pay should be slashed, civil servants should go to prison and insulting the armed forces. All four of them are failed former Conservative ministers, refusing to take responsibility for their appalling record in government.

Davey: New Govt must make repairing our broken relationship with Europe a priority

Responding to Keir Starmer’s meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey MP said:

After years of Conservative failure, this new Government must make repairing our broken relationship with Europe a priority. That starts with a common sense agreement on a Youth Mobility Scheme between the EU and the UK.

For years, Conservative Ministers not only ignored our closest neighbours but treated them with contempt.

The Conservatives’ shoddy deal with the EU has harmed farmers, fishers and small businesses across the country. It’s time to tear down the red tape erected by the former Conservative Government and give a boost to Britain’s economy, by working closely with our European allies once again.

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Mark Valladares

1 October 2024 – yesterday’s press releases (part 2)

By Mark Valladares | Wed 2nd October 2024 - 11:45 pm
  • Veterans facing homelessness reaches five-year high
  • Record high levels of people stuck in hospital
  • August A&E waiting times the worst on record for the month
  • Operations activity still well down on pre-pandemic levels
  • Cole-Hamilton comments on NHS dental deregistration in Dumfries & Galloway

Veterans facing homelessness reaches five-year high

Commenting on the news that in 2023/24 there were 935 homeless applications which included veterans, the highest figure since 2018/19, Scottish Liberal Democrat Veterans Spokesperson Bruce Wilson said:

Our veterans have dedicated their lives to public service and duty, putting themselves in harm’s way to do so. The fact that so many of them face homelessness is an utter disgrace.

No meaningful action has been taken to improve the transition to civilian life for veterans. Instead, service members have relied heavily on the charitable sector, struggling for funding.

The SNP have taken an axe to the housing budget and slashed funding for councils. They’ve completely failed to build the thousands of homes promised for social rent.

Scottish Liberal Democrats would support our veterans, treating them with the dignity and respect they deserve. That’s why we would drastically improve the standard of Ministry of Defence housing and waive application fees for indefinite leave for members of the armed forces on discharge. We would build more homes, bring thousands of empty homes back into use and re-establish social rent as a valid, long-term option.

Record high levels of people stuck in hospital

Responding to new Public Health Scotland figures which showed 2,009 people were stuck in hospital in August due to their discharge being delayed, the highest number of people delayed since the guidelines were updated in 2016, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

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Mark Valladares

1 October 2024 – yesterday’s press releases (part 1)

By Mark Valladares | Wed 2nd October 2024 - 10:15 pm
  • Energy price rise: “crushing blow” to pensioners worried about having to choose between heating and eating
  • New poll shows 1 in 4 Brits have avoided calling an ambulance over fears it would take too long to arrive
  • Rennie responds to Accounts Commission Report
  • McArthur responds to Scottish Government evidence submission on assisted dying

Energy price rise: “crushing blow” to pensioners worried about having to choose between heating and eating

Responding to the Ofgem energy price cap rise of 10% from £1,568 to £1,717 coming into effect today as Winter Fuel Payments worth between £200 and £300 are being cut for the vast majority of pensioners, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson, Daisy Cooper MP said:

Today’s price rise will be a crushing blow to all those pensioners who are wondering how they will get through the coming months without having to choose between heating and eating following the Winter Fuel Payment cuts.

The Conservative Party proved themselves utterly unfit to govern and we recognise that the new government must clear up their mess, but to cut Winter Fuel Payments for vulnerable pensioners in the midst of a cost of living crisis with energy bills rising sharply again, is the wrong thing to do.

That is why the Liberal Democrats have opposed these cuts every step of the way and will continue to do so until the government brings forward a fairer plan.

It is not too late for the government to think again and ensure vulnerable pensioners get the support they need.

New poll shows 1 in 4 Brits have avoided calling an ambulance over fears it would take too long to arrive

  • One in four (25%) Brits who needed to visit A&E but did not call for an ambulance called for a taxi, one in five (18%) walked to A&E and 17% chose to stay at home rather than get the treatment they needed
  • Half of Brits worried they will face a 12-hour wait in A&E if NHS hit by another winter crisis
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Mark Valladares

30 September 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 30th September 2024 - 10:30 pm
  • Truss: Conservative Leadership contenders must pledge to strip her of £115,000 allowance
  • Scotland’s trains are ‘erratic and expensive’ under the SNP
  • Rennie responds to MUP rise
  • Scot Lib Dems respond to Truss leadership claims

Truss: Conservative Leadership contenders must pledge to strip her of £115,000 allowance

Responding to Liz Truss’s appearance at Conservative Party Conference, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said:

Liz Truss’s failure to recognise the economic vandalism that she oversaw is a kick in the teeth to all those who endured their mortgage rates spiralling and were worried about losing their homes as a result of her disastrous policies.

It’s outrageous that instead of calling out the damage that she did, the Conservative Party actually allowed her to stand as one of their candidates at the General Election.

Every Conservative Party Leadership candidate must condemn Truss’s terrible record and pledge that they would strip her of her ex-PM allowance of up to £115,000 a year.

Scotland’s trains are ‘erratic and expensive’ under the SNP

Scottish Liberal Democrats have highlighted their plans to make Scotland’s rail services cheap, reliable and frequent as the SNP bring back peak fares today (Monday 30th September), with passengers now being hit by higher ticket prices and a reduced timetable.

In August, the SNP government announced that it would reintroduce peak rail fares, meaning that the price of the top ticket between Glasgow and Edinburgh has now risen by 8.6% to £31.40.

This hike comes as ScotRail continue to operate a temporary timetable with far fewer trains available. In total, about 600 services were slashed from the ScotRail timetable, with only around 50% of services running on Sundays.

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Mark Valladares

28-29 September 2024 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 29th September 2024 - 10:00 pm
  • Conservative Leadership Race: Candidates have spent years defending the indefensible
  • Badenoch’s maternity pay comment: Another example of Tory sleaze and scandal
  • Cole-Hamilton addresses King at 25 years of the Scottish Parliament event

Conservative Leadership Race: Candidates have spent years defending the indefensible

Commenting after the four Conservative leadership candidates spoke with Trevor Phillips, ahead of the Conservative Party Conference, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said:

As James Cleverly said himself, people wanted the Conservatives out of Government and this dire set of candidates has made it crystal clear why.

From the Conservative’s Partygate and PPE scandals to their disastrous mini budget, every one of the Conservative’s leadership candidates has spent years defending the indefensible.

The British people have had enough of Conservative sleaze and scandal. They’ve had enough of seeing their health services and economy trashed. And that’s why so many former life-long Conservative voters backed the Liberal Democrats at the last election.

People want urgent action to fix the health and care crisis not Conservative leadership candidates sniping from the sidelines. That’s why Liberal Democrats are calling for a Budget to Save the NHS and Care and working day in day out to be the constructive opposition the country needs and deserves.

Badenoch’s maternity pay comment: Another example of Tory sleaze and scandal

After Kemi Badenoch’s comments on maternity pay earlier today, Liberal Democrat Women and Equalities Spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said:

It is this kind of out touch comment that shows yet again why the Conservatives got trounced at the last election.

The Conservative Party should focus also on championing policies that support British families, rather than the constant Tory sleaze and scandal we’ve become all too familiar with.

The Liberal Democrats’ proposals would give new parents the choice and flexibility they need, including boosting statutory pay for new parents, and a new ‘dad month’ to help more fathers take time off work to be with their new baby during the first year.

Cole-Hamilton addresses King at 25 years of the Scottish Parliament event

Speaking as he addressed Their Majesties The King and Queen to mark 25 years since the opening of the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

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Mark Valladares

27 September 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 27th September 2024 - 11:30 pm
  • Cole-Hamilton responds to Scottish Conservative leadership news
  • Council opposition “must be final nail in coffin” for care service takeover

Cole-Hamilton responds to Scottish Conservative leadership news

Responding to the election of Russell Findlay as Scottish Conservative leader, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

I’d like to congratulate Russell Findlay on being elected as Scottish Conservative leader. It’s going to be a hospital pass because his is a party in decline. He will also find it hard to escape his record of cheering on Liz Truss.

There will also be voters out there who were persuaded by Ruth Davidson but who barely recognise the Conservative Party today.

Scottish Liberal Democrats won more seats than the Scottish Conservatives at the last election, and just last night we scored an amazing and unexpected by-election victory in their heartlands of rural Perthshire. In huge swathes of Scotland, we’ve shown that we’re best placed to beat the SNP. Only we have a plan to bring down NHS waiting lists, get a fair deal for carers, help struggling pensioners, lift up Scottish education and grow our economy.

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Mark Valladares

26 September 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 26th September 2024 - 10:30 pm
  • Better pay needed to resolve recruitment crisis in care
  • Cole-Hamilton responds to Eye Pavilion statement

Better pay needed to resolve recruitment crisis in care

Almost half of leaving care workers cite pay as key factor as Welsh Lib Dems call for creation of carers wage

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have proposed the creation of a new carers wage in Wales, to help resolve the current recruitment crisis amongst care workers.
Speaking in the Senedd on Tuesday, Welsh Lib Dem leader Jane Dodds urged the Welsh Government to adopt proposals which would see care workers receive a £2 an hour pay increase on top of the …

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Mark Valladares

25 September 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 25th September 2024 - 11:55 pm
  • Lib Dems call for any fiscal rule changes to be used to build new hospitals amid under-threat projects
  • Prison release error: Shocking news which needs “immediate action”
  • McArthur reveals scale of prison self-harm as he marks 1,000 days since suicide strategy expired

Lib Dems call for any fiscal rule changes to be used to build new hospitals amid under-threat projects

The Liberal Democrats have written to the Health Secretary ahead of his speech at Labour Conference today calling on the government to use any changes to the fiscal rules which are reported to be being made at the Budget to be used to invest in the NHS and complete the building of the previously promised 40 new hospitals.

In the letter from the Party’s Health and Social Care spokesperson, Helen Morgan she said that the “Conservatives were not honest with the public” in their failure to deliver these schemes but that “patients across the country will now be extremely concerned” that the Health Secretary looks set to cancel many of these new hospitals.

Helen Morgan also said that continuing the projects was “imperative” not only to improve patients care but also for boosting growth with infrastructure spending on major construction projects and that by not fixing the NHS you could not fix the economy.

She went on to say that the changes to the fiscal rules at the Budget, as mentioned in the Chancellor’s speech should “pave the way for the investment we desperately need in our hospitals” to improve patient care and boost growth.

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Mark Valladares

24 September 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 24th September 2024 - 11:50 pm
  • Winter Fuel Payments: Hundreds of thousands more pensioners set to lose out
  • NHS Scotland Stop Smoking Services fall short of target
  • Cole-Hamilton challenges Health Secretary to tackle cancer crisis
  • Worst ever homelessness figures on the SNP’s watch
  • Jardine responds to GB Energy Aberdeen announcement
  • Cole-Hamilton demands action on Highlands care home closures
  • Just 3.2% of acid attacks in London have resulted in charge this year

Winter Fuel Payments: Hundreds of thousands more pensioners set to lose out

Responding to the latest Winter Fuel Payment statistics showing that there was a 214,000 increase in the number of recipients of the payments in the winter of 2023/24 compared to the previous year, Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions spokesperson Steve Darling MP said:

Hundreds of thousands more pensioners are now set to lose out on these desperately needed payments that protect so many from having to choose between heating and eating.

Cutting these payments for pensioners, which include millions who are just scraping by and are now worried about how they will get through the winter, is totally wrong.

It is not too late for this new government to change course and Liberal Democrat MPs will push them every step of the way to reverse these cuts and protect vulnerable pensioners this winter.

NHS Scotland Stop Smoking Services fall short of target

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has warned that efforts to deliver a smoke-free Scotland are falling short as new figures released today showed that NHS Scotland Stop Smoking services only achieved 74% of their target for helping people to stop smoking.

The new figures also reveal that only Western Isles and Dumfries & Galloway met their yearly targets. NHS Shetland and NHS Borders achieved less than 50% of their yearly targets, with Lothian, Lanarkshire and fife also performing poorly.

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Mark Valladares

23 September 2024 – today’s press release

By Mark Valladares | Mon 23rd September 2024 - 10:30 pm

Cole-Hamilton calls for statement on eye hospital closure

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, health spokesperson and MSP for Edinburgh Western Alex Cole-Hamilton has today called for the Scottish Government to deliver a statement in the Scottish Parliament on the closure of the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion.

It was announced last week that the Eye Pavilion, which provides ophthalmic care across Edinburgh and the Lothians, will close temporarily from Monday 28th October for six months while works on the plumbing system are carried out.

Campaigners including Mr Cole-Hamilton have long pushed for a replacement for the 55 year old Eye Pavilion building. However this replacement …

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Mark Valladares

Welcome to my day: 23 September – so much for the first hundred days…

By Mark Valladares | Mon 23rd September 2024 - 7:30 am

What a difference a week makes. From the almost unbridled joy of a Liberal Democrat Conference where we celebrated a huge infusion of new MPs and a sense that, after more than a decade of pain and struggle to be seen as relevant, we’re bystanders at a Labour Conference where, rather than celebrated a glorious victory, there’s a sense of defensiveness already.

Caron has already covered the rather bizarre mess that Keir Starmer has gotten into over the £100,000 worth of gifts that he has received and declared in recent years. And I entirely understand that there is a perceived political advantage to getting the bad news out of the way early – most keen observers of the last year of the Sunak administration will have already concluded that the sheer scale of unfunded commitments they made would make the task of an incoming administration a difficult one.

But instead of one hundred days of action, it all gives an impression of a leadership rather spinning their wheels even if they are, in reality, possibly doing quite a lot. The media won’t help that – their unfriendliness towards a Labour government can be taken as read. We’ll see if they can do something about changing the narrative over the next couple of days…

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Mark Valladares

21-22 September 2024 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 22nd September 2024 - 10:30 pm
  • McArthur: SNP must confirm that they won’t dump another climate target
  • More than 400 solicitors withdrawing from legal aid schemes in just 3 years

McArthur: SNP must confirm that they won’t dump another climate target

Scottish Liberal Democrat climate spokesperson Liam McArthur has called on the SNP government to confirm that they will not dump their target to decarbonise the passenger rail network by 2035 after the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero failed to mention this deadline during an exchange in parliament.

Speaking in the Scottish Parliament earlier this week, Mr McArthur asked Gillian Martin, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, if she …

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Mark Valladares

Lindsay Northover launches bid for Palestinian recognition

By Mark Valladares | Sun 22nd September 2024 - 5:49 pm

I missed this as I was on my way to Brighton at the time, but thought that it might of interest to readers.

Friday, September 13th saw the First Reading of a Private Members’ Bill in the House of Lords, sponsored by Lindsay Northover, our spokesperson on International Development there.

The core text reads as follows:

Recognition of the State of Palestine

  1. The Secretary of State must, within one month of the passing of this Act, take such steps as are necessary to ensure the Government of the United Kingdom formally recognises Palestine as a sovereign and independent state on the basis of the

…

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Mark Valladares

LibLink: Should the Liberal Democrats move to the right economically?

By Mark Valladares | Sat 21st September 2024 - 5:22 pm

Catching up on my reading, I came across this advice from “The Economist” from Wednesday.

With the ongoing debate about overtaking the Conservatives at the next election, and with real questions about the political direction of the Conservative Party under a new leader, what, if anything, should we change as we face a Labour Party with a vast majority and emerging challenges from the Greens and Reform UK?

The Economist sums its advice up thus:

Britain has a two-party system designed, broadly, to produce one party more to the left economically and another more to the right economically. Labour has sewn up

…

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