Category Archives: News

New Lib Dem leader in the Lords

By Caron Lindsay | Tue 22nd July 2025 - 8:30 am

Dick Newby has served us very well as Lib Dem Leader in the Lords since September 2016. He has now stood down and there was an election to replace him between Yorkshire’s Kath Pinnock and Scotland’s Jeremy Purvis.

Yesterday it was announced that Jeremy Purvis would take the role.

He has been in the Lords for twelveyears and has been our foreign affairs spokesperson for the past four years. He steered through the Lib Dem legislation enshrining the 0.7% of GDP aid target in law back in 2015.

He also carries the dubious distinction as being one of the first people I ever approved as a Parliamentary candidate in early 2002. He subsequently served as an MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale in the Scottish Borders from 2003-2011.

Jeremy said:

It is an honour to receive the support of my fellow peers and be elected Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group. Under my leadership, we will be a voice for liberal campaigning on the important issues we and others care so much about. Currently our Group is leading on freedom of media and stopping foreign interference in UK newspapers; successfully passing regulations around whistleblowing; and making the case for paid carers’ leave in legislation.

I look forward to working with Ed Davey and all parts of the Party and to use the heft of our diverse and effective Liberal Democrat Group to help make the changes the country needs.

I sincerely thank Dick Newby for all his work in nine years as Leader, and the critical role he has played in our party’s most recent successes and I pay tribute to my fellow candidate, Kath Pinnock, who I know will continue to have a very important role to play in the group and the Party.

Dick Newby added:

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Tagged dick newby, jeremy purvis and lib dem lords | 3 Comments

19-20 July 2025 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 21st July 2025 - 7:30 am

John Healey accused of misleading Parliament over Afghan data breach
Water pollution: People fed up with empty promises
Water ombudsman: We need fundamental change, not another layer of bureaucracy
521 spills recorded at private sewage plants but 5 sites not even required to monitor spills

John Healey accused of misleading Parliament over Afghan data breach

The Liberal Democrats have said the Defence Secretary John Healey appears to have misled Parliament over the Afghan data breach – and must “urgently come before Parliament to answer the question of whether he knowingly misled MPs and the public”.

Only three days ago John Healey told MPs in the House of Commons that no serving member of the armed forces had been put at risk by the data loss. This comes despite it emerging yesterday that over 100 British officials, including members of the special forces and MI6, were compromised in a data breach.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey called on the Defence Secretary to urgently come to Parliament and correct the record.

Responding to a question from Liberal Democrat MP Defence Committee member Ian Roome on Tuesday 15 July, John Healey said: “To the best of my knowledge and belief, no serving member of our armed forces is put at risk by the data loss.”

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

Three days ago John Healey claimed no-one serving in the armed forces was put at risk by the data breach. Today we found out that appears to be false.

We need to know if any serving members of the armed forces were impacted – and the Defence Secretary must urgently come before Parliament to answer the question of whether he knowingly misled MPs and the public.

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Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged afghan data breach, Alex Cole-Hamilton, ed davey, ian roome, sewage dumping, tim farron and water companies | 2 Comments

This trade deal could poison us: The UK cannot ignore the collapse of US food safety

By Anders Larson | Sun 20th July 2025 - 12:30 pm

The UK–US trade deal is being celebrated in Westminster as the first tangible post-Brexit win for a beleaguered trading nation. The UK–US trade deal explicitly includes agricultural and food products, lowering tariffs and increasing access for American exports such as beef, pork, poultry, dairy, and grains, meaning a greater volume of US food will enter the UK market. However, at the very same time, food safety in the United States, overseen predominantly by the Food and Drug Administration and The U.S. Department of Agriculture, is being dismantled. The UK, lacking the capacity to screen what enters our ports, is not prepared for this.

In March 2025, controversial US Health Secretary RFK Jr. laid off 3,500 FDA staff — nearly 20% of the agency — including over 170 inspectors from its Office of Inspections and Investigations (Aboulenein and Roy, 2025; Oversight Committee, 2025). The FDA was already critically understaffed, with just 443 inspectors covering more than 36,000 food facilities (Douglas and Polansek, 2025).

Additionally, RFK jr. has significantly weakened USDA food safety oversight. In March, he eliminated two scientific advisory panels—NACMCF and NACMPI—removing expert guidance on microbiological and meat safety. In May, USDA staff unions reported over 15,000 departures, including essential inspectors from The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), significantly impairing pathogenic outbreak response capability. In July, the USDA fired 70 foreign contract scientists at the Agricultural Research Service due to purported “security concerns” but announced these roles would remain vacant amid a hiring freeze, risking critical food safety research and pathogen monitoring.

At the FDA, there has been an immediate suspension of critical quality-control testing for food laboratories after losing key scientists, halting planned checks for glyphosate in barley and Cyclospora in spinach. Essential bird flu testing in dairy, amid escalating mammal-to-human transmission rates of the ongoing epidemic, in dairy has also been indefinitely paused (Douglas, 2025), leading to FDA food division chief Jim Jones resigning, calling the cuts “fruitless”.

This is not an internal crisis. The United States exports a massive 20% of its agricultural products globally, and a collapse in its inspection regime means unsafe food will not just be consumed in America, but will contaminate the supply chains of any country that accepts US produce, including the UK as part of its new trade deal.

One might hope the UK could intercept unsafe food slipping through the crumbling US system. However, it is not ready. Since Brexit, the UK has repeatedly delayed implementing full sanitary checks on agricultural imports, and British consumers have paid the price: For example, between 2020 and 2024, this lack of border inspections enabled salmonella-contaminated chicken from Poland to enter the UK poisoning “hundreds of people, including children”.

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Tagged food safety and us uk trade deal | 11 Comments

18 July 2025 – yesteday’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sat 19th July 2025 - 12:30 pm

Lib Dems: water regulation in our country is broken
Ofwat: Finally Government listened to Lib Dems
Scot Lib Dems comment on confirmation of Trump visit dates
Cole-Hamilton: SNP want to focus on independence, I want to focus on NHS
Cole-Hamilton: SNP want to focus on independence, I want to focus on NHS

Lib Dems: water regulation in our country is broken

Responding to the news that the number of the most serious water pollution incidents went up by 60% last year, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Tim Farron said:

This record of failure shows water regulation in our country is broken.

Water companies are getting away with polluting our rivers on an industrial scale and face little more than a slap on the wrist.

The government must bring forward a proper overhaul of our water sector starting by scrapping the failed watchdog Ofwat.

People are fed up with empty promises from ministers while Britain’s waterways continue to be ruined by sewage.

Ofwat: Finally Government listened to Lib Dems

Responding to reports that the Government will scrap Ofwat, Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson Tim Farron MP said:

At last, the Government has listened to the Liberal Democrats. Since November 2022, Liberal Democrats have been calling for Ofwat to be scrapped- and if the Government do not commit to this, it would be a dereliction of their duty and a betrayal of millions of customers across the country.

But the Government must not stop here, and we will continue to hold them accountable. Britain now needs a new, effective regulator, to stop the sewage scandal once and for all.

Today we see again that there has been a dramatic increase in sewage spills. Liberal Democrats will continue to fight for customers, citizens and for cleaner water.

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Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged Alex Cole-Hamilton, beach pollution, claire mclaren, donald trump, NHS, ofwat and tim farron | 2 Comments

ALDC by-election report, 17th July

By Liam Yip | Fri 18th July 2025 - 1:49 pm

In Market Harborough, the Conservatives secured a close-fought victory against us. Commiserations to Roger Dunton and the local team for the result here.

Harborough DC, Market Harborough-Logan
Conservative: 410 (31.3%, +4.1)
Liberal Democrats (Roger Dunton): 355 (27.1%, -19.8)
Green Party: 290 (22.2%, +14.5)
Reform UK: 190 (14.5%, new)
Labour: 44 (3.4%, -9.1)
Independent: 10 (0.8%, -4.8)
Communist: 9 (0.7%, new)

Conservative GAIN from Liberal Democrats

In Liverpool, the Green Party successfully defended seat, albeit with a decrease in their vote share. Well done to Tristan Paul and the local team for increasing our vote share by over 15%.

Liverpool City Council, Sefton Park
Green Party: 468 (49.8%, -7.0)
Labour: 211 (22.4%, -11.1)
Liberal Democrats (Tristan Paul): 193 (20.5%, +15.4)
Reform UK: 54 (5.7%, new)
Conservative: 14 (1.5%, -3.0)

Green Party HOLD

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Tagged aldc local government by-elections | 12 Comments

17 July 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 17th July 2025 - 11:50 pm

Workforce figures: public “desperately” needs a govt focused on getting growth back on track
Voting reforms: Elon Musk-shaped hole in Government’s announcement
Afghanistan data leak “devastating” — Government must launch inquiry
Carmichael welcomes progress on votes for 16-year-olds in UK elections
Jane Dodds responds to UK Government plans to introduce votes at 16

Workforce figures: public “desperately” needs a govt focused on getting growth back on track

Responding to the latest workforce figures, which show the labour market continuing to weaken, with higher unemployment and slowing wage growth, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

We can’t go on with such a sluggish economy: the Government must go for growth by reversing the jobs tax which is stifling small businesses and rip up the red tape holding back British businesses from trading with the rest of Europe. Only then will the Government unlock billions of pounds to protect public services and support struggling families.

After years of economic mismanagement by the Conservatives, the public desperately needs a government focused on getting our economy back on track – and these are the most obvious first steps to doing that.

Voting reforms: Elon Musk-shaped hole in Government’s announcement

Commenting on the Government’s announcement on voting reforms, Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokesperson Sarah Olney MP said:

Votes at 16 is a no-brainer. Liberal Democrats have campaigned for this change for well over twenty years and so of course we welcome this decision.

However, there appears to be an Elon Musk shaped hole in the Government’s proposed changes to elections. Ministers must go much further to close the door to foreign oligarchs interfering in British politics – anything less undermines our democracy.

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Also posted in Press releases, Scotland and Wales | Tagged afghan data breach, afghanistan, Alistair Carmichael, daisy cooper, employment rate, helen maguire, jane dodds, sarah olney and votes at 16 | 2 Comments

The Afghan data breach shows up poor law and appalling Tory Government actions

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 17th July 2025 - 8:04 am

“There are some things that you just can’t polish.”

So I said when i spoke against the Government’s plans to bring secret courts into the area of civil law back in 2013. For some inexplicable reason, Nick Clegg had decided to agree to this dreadful proposal. The party, pretty universally, was livid. That’s one reasons why factions don’t usually work in this party. At the time, the Social Liberal Forum and Liberal Reform were at each other’s throats on economic policy but we were united in standing up for civil liberties. You can read some of the background to that here.

We’ve learned a lot about how secret courts operate in the past couple of days thanks to Lewis Goodall from the News Agents. He found himself subject to a super-injunction back in August 2023 when he learned about the leaking of a data set containing the contact details of everyone who had applied to come to this country under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy. These were people, 18000 of them, who had worked for the UK Government while we were in Afghanistan and who had targets on their back when the Taliban took over.

Anyway, Goodall is a serious, responsible journalist. When he discovered this story, he went to the Ministry of Defence, making it clear that he had no plans to publish. That didn’t matter. The resulting super injunction was in force until this Tuesday at noon. The second it was lifted, Goodall got out all the stress of the previous 23 months out in a blistering podcast which revealed:

Secret courts and secret courts within secret courts
How many of the 18000 people and their families the Tory Government actually planned to help. Spoiler, it’s less than you think, despite this being the main legal rationale for the super-injunction
How Tory ministers avoided pushing this forward, silencing scrutiny
How much this cost the public purse
How the first judge to hear the case actually suggested to the Government that they go for a super-injunction

If you listen to nothing else today, listen to this now because it shows a chilling use of government power which, the Judge openly remarked, stopped democracy. Judge Martin Chamberlain said it was:

fundamentally objectionable for decisions that affect the lives and safety of thousands of human beings, and involve the commitment of billions of pounds of public money, to be taken in circumstances where they are completely insulated from public debate.

So what have Liberal Democrats had to say about all of this:

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Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged afghan data breach, defence, ed davey, featured, helen maguire, lewis goodall, news agents and secret courts | Leave a comment

16 July 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 16th July 2025 - 11:50 pm

Lib Dems: Bolster energy security to tackle “stubbornly high” inflation
Ed Davey calls for public inquiry into Afghan data leak and unprecedented superinjunction
Davey speech warns of Farage’s plan to tie Britain to Putin’s Russia
Carmichael to lead parliamentary debate on Global Plastics Treaty

Lib Dems: Bolster energy security to tackle “stubbornly high” inflation

Responding to June’s inflation figure of 3.6%, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

These stubbornly high inflation figures are hammering the pockets of households who are still struggling with a cost-of-living crisis that refuses to go away.

The Conservatives’ mismanagement of the economy led us here and now Donald Trump’s senseless trade war and the Government’s wage suppressing jobs tax are only adding to people’s pain.

Only by building an economic coalition of the willing to stand up to Trump’s bullying, scrapping the Government’s jobs tax and bolstering our energy security will we see pressure ease for families across the country.

Ed Davey calls for public inquiry into Afghan data leak and unprecedented superinjunction

Ed Davey has called for a public inquiry into the MOD data leak that put at risk the lives of up to 25,000 Afghans who supported the British campaign in Afghanistan, and the unprecedented superinjunction used to keep it hidden from the public for years.

The Liberal Democrats have criticised the Conservatives’ cloak-and-dagger efforts to protect Ministers’ identities via an unprecedented 600-day superinjunction, only revealed following a concerted effort by the British media to bring the details into the public domain.

The party’s leader, Ed Davey, has called for an urgent public inquiry – to report by the end of the year – which would allow for the level of scrutiny appropriate to the “size and significance” of the data breach and subsequent Government efforts to keep the details hidden from public view.

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Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged afghanistan, Alistair Carmichael, daisy cooper, ed davey, energy policy, energy security, Plastic Pollution and superinjunctions | Leave a comment

15 July 2025 – yesterday’s Scottish press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 16th July 2025 - 11:15 pm

Patients waiting up to a year for cancer treatment under SNP
Wishart blasts Ministers for lack of action on air travel review
Cole-Hamilton criticises SNP over new A&E and drugs reports
MacDonald urges public to respond to Community Benefit energy consultation

Patients waiting up to a year for cancer treatment under SNP

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP today said that the SNP government isn’t giving people the best chance of surviving cancer as he revealed the longest waits for first treatment of cancer, with patients waiting up to a year.

Scottish Liberal Democrats analysed waiting times from an urgent referral with suspicion of cancer to first treatment for patients in every health board.

This analysis shows that:

In the quarter ending March 2025, a patient in NHS Lothian waited 393 days for treatment.
In the same period, patients in Grampian, the Borders, and Dumfries and Galloway waited 11 months for treatment.
Between the quarter ending March 2015 and March 2025, the longest wait in NHS Borders has more than quadrupled, increasing from 76 days to 343 days.
Over the same period, the longest wait in NHS Dumfries & Galloway has more than trebled, from 99 days to 347 days.
Since March 2015, the longest waits in NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Orkney and NHS Shetland have more than doubled.

It comes as Scottish Liberal Democrats revealed that the median waiting time for cancer treatment across the whole of Scotland, 52 days, is the worst on record.

In June, Public Health Minister Jenni Minto admitted that “people could be dying as a result of later cancer diagnoses”.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

All across Scotland, the SNP government isn’t giving cancer patients the best chance of survival. These statistics show huge increases in waiting times to begin treatment after an urgent referral with suspicion of cancer, stretching up to a year.

International studies show Scotland falling behind. The fact that SNP ministers are now admitting that their failures may have caused people to die shows just how badly they have got this wrong.

Access to screening programmes, diagnoses and treatment is a postcode lottery across the country. Scottish Liberal Democrats want to see ministers who will move mountains to bring down waits and get to grips with the gaps in tech and staff.

Patients deserve better than an SNP government that keeps letting them down. Only the Scottish Liberal Democrats will bring a real vision and a real plan for delivering the care they need.

Wishart blasts Ministers for lack of action on air travel review

Scottish Liberal Democrat and Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart has written to the Scottish Government questioning their lack of action on the Highlands and Islands Air Discount Scheme after almost a year since the publishing of Transport Scotland’s Aviation Statement which made the following commitment:

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Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged accident and emergency, air discount scheme, Alex Cole-Hamilton, Angus MacDonald, beatrice wishart, cancer care, community energy projects and drug treatment | 1 Comment

15 July 2025 – yesterday’s Federal press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 16th July 2025 - 10:52 pm

Adass survey should make Government “heed warning” they cannot fix the NHS without fixing social care
Thames Water results: time for Governmentt to end “nightmare” and put Thames Water into Special Administration
Ed Davey sets out plan to halve energy bills in a decade and takes on Farage’s fossil fuel myths
Afghan data breach: Government must confirm how many other MoD super injunctions exist
Lib Dems on Reeves speech: “spaghetti junction of red tape” between country and continent

Adass survey should make Government “heed warning” they cannot fix the NHS without fixing social care

Responding to The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services survey which found that recent overspend by councils in England on their adult social care budgets was the highest in a decade, Liberal Democrat Care and Carers spokesperson Alison Bennett MP said:

The Government needs to heed this warning that without fixing social care the NHS 10 Year Plan will fail to deliver the change that people are crying out for.

We will continue to see people stuck in hospital beds when they could be cared for at home, patients treated in A&E corridors and council budgets stretched to breaking point.

If the Government is to break with the years of neglect that the Conservatives oversaw, they need to get on with reforming social care, and that starts by completing their review by the end of the year. We cannot afford to wait any longer.

Thames Water results: time for Government to end “nightmare” and put Thames Water into Special Administration

Responding to Thames Water reporting a £1.6bn loss over the last year and sewage spills increasing by a third, Lib Dem MP for Witney Charlie Maynard said:

These are terrible results. The nightmare needs to stop.

After months of pressure, Steve Reed has now finally admitted that it is highly likely to cost the Government nothing in the medium term if Thames Water is put into Special Administration. He now needs to get on and do this.

Every day he holds off means that customers continue to get stuffed by ridiculously high interest charges and advisory fees. We can’t afford it, and nor can our rivers.

Ed Davey sets out plan to halve energy bills in a decade and takes on Farage’s fossil fuel myths

Liberal Democrat Leader gives major economic speech at IPPR setting out new plan to slash energy bills
Ed Davey says “we have got to break the link between gas prices and electricity costs” so people get the benefits of cheap, clean power
Speech takes on Farage and Badenoch’s myths on renewables and warns tying Britain to fossil fuels will only benefit dictators like Putin

In a major speech on the economy tomorrow, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey will set out his party’s plan to halve energy bills for a typical household by 2035.

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Also posted in Press releases | Tagged afghanistan, alison bennett, charlie maynard, daisy cooper, ed davey, energy policy, financial regulation, helen maguire, social care and thames water | Leave a comment

Nominate someone for a party award: Deadline August 11

By The Voice | Wed 16th July 2025 - 2:25 pm

One of the best moments of any party conference is when we honour the people who have gone above and beyond the call of duty for the party.

Party members are invited to nominate party colleagues for the following awards for this Autumn’s conference in Bourmemouth by 11th August.

The President’s Award

Eligibility: open to any Party Member elected to public office and who has demonstrated excellence and commitment, either in that role or both in that role and other roles for the party.

Criteria: the winner will be recognised for outstanding commitment and service to the Party. Local, regional, and state parties should be seeking to nominate people who deserve recognition for their hard work, long service, and demonstrable dedication to the party, at whatever level. It is expected to be special awards to be awarded from the Party for whom public recognition is overdue.

The Harriet Smith Liberal Democrat Distinguished Service Award

Background: this award is named for Harriet Smith, who campaigned and worked tirelessly for the Party, notably alongside Paddy Ashdown, with the Federal Conference Committee, and in the Bath party. A beloved figure, she is also missed from the Conference revue and by the team at the Liberator Magazine.

Eligibility: open to any Party Member never elected to public office.

Criteria: the Harriet Smith Award shares its conditions with the President’s award.

The Belinda Eyre-Brook Award

Background: this award is named for legendary campaigner Belinda Eyre-Brook, whose achievements with the Party include being Ed Davey’s agent in 1997, overturning 15,000 Tory Majority, and establishing one of the party’s longest-serving MPs.

Eligibility: given to recognise and celebrate the efforts of people working for our elected representatives in their local areas – from local party employees to political assistants to council groups, to people working in MPs’ constituency offices.

Criteria: the winner of this award will care about their local area and be committed to the success of Liberal Democrats within it. Turning local political priorities into electoral success, and priorities for elected officials is a key part of the work of successful local Party figures – as is linking with the national party.

The Dadabhai Naoroji award

Background: this award is named for the ‘Grand Old Man of India’, Liberal MP, and joint founder of the Indian National Congress, Dadabhai Naoroji. His work highlighting the reality of British rule over India and campaign for justice is an example to us all and his place in history, as the first non-white and first Indian Parliamentarian, is assured.

Eligibility: presented annually to the local Party that has done most to promote ethnic minority participants to elected office as Councillors, Assembly Members or Members of Parliament.

Criteria: this award is designed to encourage local parties to work towards the goal of increasing their ethnic diversity to more accurately reflect the areas they represent, and to recognise those that already make a great effort to involve different communities in their work.

The Penhaligon award

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Ed Davey to set out plans to halve energy bills in a decade

By The Voice | Wed 16th July 2025 - 10:28 am

This afternoon, Ed Davey will give a major speech at the Institute for Public Policy Research in London.

We’re used to hearing from the right that our high energy prices are all to do with nasty net zero. Ed will tackle that nonsense

As an alternative, he will set out a plan to dramatically slash bills for families and businesses still struggling through a cost-of-living crisis.

He will call for “a Liberal Democrat energy policy in service of the British people, not a Nigel Farage energy policy in service of Vladimir Putin”.

He will set out a plan to break the link between gas prices and electricity costs, so people get the benefits of cheap, clean power. As well as accelerating investment in cheap renewable power and home insulation, the plan would move older expensive renewable projects to cheaper Contracts for Difference – which were pioneered by Ed Davey when he was Energy Secretary. Experts have estimated that this move alone could cut bills by around £200 a year for a typical household.

Here are some snippets that the party has released ahead of the speech:

After nearly a decade of criminally negligent energy policies under the Conservatives, that pushed up everyone’s bills, I believe the right policies now could cut energy bills in half – at least – within ten years.

That should be the goal. Nothing less. A Liberal Democrat energy policy in service of the British people. Not a Nigel Farage energy policy in service of Vladimir Putin.

On the sky-high bills facing families and businesses

Families and pensioners are being clobbered with bills that are still more than £50 a month higher than they were five years ago. So many people, who were already struggling to make ends meet, having to find an extra £50 a month – just to keep the lights on, or keep their homes warm this winter.

And businesses are suffering too. Even with the welcome extra help promised in the new Industrial Strategy, parts of British industry will continue to face some of the highest electricity prices in the OECD. We have to get those prices down – to boost living standards and grow our economy.

Addressing the myths peddled by the likes of Farage and Badenoch:

The narrative – seized upon by Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch – says the reason energy bills are so high is that we’re investing too much in renewable power. And if we just stopped that investment – and relied more on oil and gas instead – bills would magically come down for everyone.

The experience of record high gas prices in recent years shows that’s not true. And even when gas prices are softer, the long history of volatility in fossil fuel prices means it’s only a matter of time before high prices return. So we know that tying ourselves ever more to fossil fuels would only benefit foreign dictators like Vladimir Putin – which is probably why Farage is so keen on it.

But refusing to engage hasn’t stopped his myths from spreading, from gaining traction in the new world of fake news. So we must change that.

On breaking the link between gas prices and electricity costs:

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Tagged cost of living, ed davey, electricity, energy, energy costs, gas and speeches | 22 Comments

Josh Babarinde talks to Nick Robinson about domestic abuse reform

By NewsHound | Tue 15th July 2025 - 7:28 am

One of the brightest stars on the Lib Dem front bench, Josh Babarinde, has been talking to Nick Robinson on this week’s Political Thinking podcast.

He described his ultimately successful tenacious pursuit of Labour ministers to get them to bring in a specific category of offence for domestic abuse. He saw the need for this when Labour released many prisoners early to make room in our crumbling and inadequate prison system. He was furious that Labour could not make good on its promise not to release domestic abuse perpetrators early because they couldn’t identify them all.

He talks about his own background and why this issue is so important to him.

He tells Nick about his early life, an inspirational teacher and his first job serving pizzas.

Luck played a huge part in his success and he describes his fight to “minimise the role of luck” in making sure other young people could fulfil their potential.

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Tagged josh babarinde, nick robinson, podcasts and political thinking | 2 Comments

14 July 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 14th July 2025 - 11:10 pm

Trump state visit: PM should invite Mark Carney for official visit and to address Parliament
Lib Dems slam “astounding” arrogance of Thames Water following hosepipe ban announcement

Trump state visit: PM should invite Mark Carney for official visit and to address Parliament

Responding to the date of Donald Trump’s state visit being confirmed, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

The Prime Minister should invite Mark Carney for an official visit to the UK just ahead of Trump’s visit, including the opportunity to address Parliament. This would send an important signal that Britain stands shoulder to shoulder with Canada against Trump’s chaotic trade war.

With

…

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Also posted in Press releases | Tagged donald trump state visit, ed davey, olly glover and thames water | 8 Comments

Advance to the left

By Jim Coupland | Mon 14th July 2025 - 11:55 am

The Liberal Democrats are a flexible party on the spectrum. Coming from the traditional centre ground, it has attracted many voters who have come from different perspectives on politics. Recently, we have won a lot of votes from the centre right of the political spectrum with Sir Ed Davey’s focus on ‘Middle England’, taking votes away from Conservative leaning voters who feel that the Tories have gone too far right or neglected the ‘Blue Wall’. There is also the Progressive base who have gone to the Liberal Democrats in the Brexit era, aiming to reverse that referendum result in 2016.

I feel that our party is made up of members who feel disillusioned with the leadership of their political ends. You can put me in that category; a former member of the Labour Party. Due to choices from the Labour Government, I left them for the Liberal Democrats. Whilst I see Liberalism (the belief in freedom for all) as the principle we should live by, I am always left with the question of how?

In some scenarios, freedom is not an abstract concept. If you live in any dictatorship, you are not free. If you live in a democracy, it can get complicated. We can vote in elections, our politicians are held to account, free press, free speech and an independent judicial system. However, there is another freedom that we don’t have… the freedom to live prosperously.

Due to the cost-of-living crisis, people are choosing between heating and food in the winter. Recently with the ill-thought Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments Bill that has just passed the Commons, there will be disabled people who will not have the same rights and freedoms to receive PIP compared to existing claimants with the same conditions.

As someone who has left-leaning politics, there was something in the Liberal Democrat Federal Constitution which led me to join the party. Specifically, it was the quote: “The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity”.

That is a vision I want the Labour Party to strive for. Sadly, they don’t. Other lefties like Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana have decided that a new political party is the answer to fill the left-wing gap… it won’t work. Another party splitting the Labour vote will only help Reform. But there is a movement that has consistently won battles for their aims and have pressured Westminster to make profound changes… the trade unions.

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Observations of an ex pat: Leaving Trump

By Tom Arms | Sat 12th July 2025 - 10:30 am

Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill helps the rich and hurts the poor. And yet, Trump was elected by a demographic shift of poor voters to Republican ranks.

They voted for him not because they believe he supports the rich instead of them, but because they feel he speaks to their values, frustrations, and identity in ways that matter more to them than traditional economic policies.

Trump validates their worldview.He gives them someone to blame for their struggles. He channels their anger into a story where they are the true Americans under siege.

So how loyal is that base? Pretty loyal. For many supporters, Trump is not just a politician—he’s a symbol of resistance to liberal elites, political correctness, globalisation, and a system they feel left them behind. He taps into identity, not just policy. That is a bond that runs deep.

So what could break that bond? Nothing less than a clear personal betrayal that his supporters could directly feel. The Big Beautiful Bill’s cuts in Medicaid are a step in that direction. And Democrats believe that they can use it to win back control of the House of Representatives and Senate in the 2026 mid-term elections.

But that will be hard road because Trump—and MAGA—are expert at blaming others such as Congress or the “deep state”.

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Tagged observations of an ex pat | 11 Comments

ALDC’s by-election report – 10 July 2025

By Liam Yip | Sat 12th July 2025 - 8:30 am

In Woking, two seats were successfully defended, both with overwhelming victory, with both a county and district by-election. Well done to Louise Morales, Deborah Hughes and the local team for ensuring these seats remained with us.

Surrey CC, Woking South
Liberal Democrats (Louise Morales): 1,939 (63.8%, +5.8)
Reform UK: 584 (19.2%, new)
Conservatives: 291 (9.6%, -16.0%)
Green Party: 134 (4.4%, -2.5)
Labour: 91 (3.0%, -4.6)

Liberal Democrat HOLD

Woking BC, Hoe Valley
Liberal Democrats (Deborah Hughes): 1,118 (63.3%, -8.1)
Reform UK: 379 (21.1%, new)
Conservative: 130 (7.2%, -9.0)
Green Party: 83 (4.6%, new)
Labour: 69 (3.8%, -8.6)

Liberal Democrat HOLD

In Oxfordshire, we successfully defended our seat in the Vale of White Horse. Well done to Ben Potter and the team for ensuring an overwhelming victory in this by-election.

Vale of White Horse, Botley & Sunningwell
Liberal Democrats (Ben Potter): 732 (71.5%, +7.9%)
Conservative: 162 (15.8%, -1.8)
Green Party: 130 (12.7%, +11.2)

Liberal Democrat HOLD

We successfully defended a council seat in Leatherhead, ensuring an overwhelming victory for the Liberal Democrats. Well done to Lawrence Penney and the team for ensuring that this seat remains held by us.

Mole Valley DC, Bookham East & Eastwick Park
Liberal Democrat (Lawrence Penney): 1,056 (56.0%, -6.6)
Reform UK: 387 (20.5%, new)
Conservative: 386 (20.5%, -10.1)
Green Party: 56 (3.0%, -1.5)

Liberal Democrat HOLD

In Tewkesbury, Reform UK gained a seat from an independent. Well done to Guy Fancourt and the local team for ensuring that we came second place in this by-election.

Tewkesbury BC, Northway
Reform UK: 374 (41.4%, new)
Liberal Democrats (Guy Fancourt): 279 (30.9%, +7.0)
Conservative: 116 (12.8%, -11.6)
Green Party: 91 (10.1%, new)
Labour: 44 (4.9%, -15.8%)

Reform UK GAIN from Independent

On the Isle of Wight, the Island Independents secured an overwhelming victory. Thank you to Rachel Lambert and the local team for flying the Liberal Democrat flag.

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Tagged aldc and local government by-elections | 9 Comments

Has Christine Jardine been sacked from Lib Dem Front Bench?

By The Voice | Wed 9th July 2025 - 9:15 pm

Patrick Maguire, the Times lead political commentator, has reported tonight that Christine Jardine has been fired from her positions as spokesperson on Women and Equalities and on Scotland for defying the Lib Dem whip and voting against rather than abstaining on a Tory amendment to the Universal Credit and PIP Bill.

He said:

Christine Jardine has been sacked from the Lib Dem frontbench for voting against Tory amendment to the welfare bill – Ed Davey whipped MPs to abstain

LD source: “We are not in the business of dancing to the tune of the Conservatives through symbolic votes and virtue signalling.”

— Patrick Maguire (@patrickkmaguire) July 9, 2025

The quote from the Lib Dem source was quite something:

Christine Jardine has been sacked from the Lib Dem frontbench for voting against Tory amendment to the welfare bill – Ed Davey whipped MPs to abstain LD source: “We are not in the business of dancing to the tune of the Conservatives through symbolic votes and virtue signalling.”

But Kait Borsay of Times Radio says that Christine had not been informed of this:

We’ve just spoken to Christine Jardine @TimesRadio who says she’d not been told she’d been sacked.. (or not read the email).. but was warned it was likely. Seemed to accept the punishment as expected.. https://t.co/1vGPWTtDkl

— Kait Borsay (@kaitborsay) July 9, 2025

We’ve just spoken to Christine Jardine

@TimesRadio

who says she’d not been told she’d been sacked.. (or not read the email).. but was warned it was likely. Seemed to accept the punishment as expected..

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Tagged christine jardine | 34 Comments

Government should stop using “working people” and audit income inequality and poverty

By Chris Perry | Wed 9th July 2025 - 10:25 am

When will the Government drop the phrase “working people” which excludes “retired people”, “children”, “people with long term illnesses or disabilities” and people who have had to give up work to become full time carers and adopt something more inclusive. Until they do, they will continue to shoot themselves in the foot.

Congratulations on the Lib Dem stand against cuts to disability benefit. In my experience most people who are off work due to sickness or disability would give anything within reason to be able to work. However, if Government wrongly believes that a financial incentive is required then the answer must lie in increasing their potential earnings and not the threat of increased poverty.

Widening income inequality and increasing poverty are the great social evils of our time. And unless Government addresses pay differentials within companies, chasing inward investment in search of growth will make the rich richer and create low paid jobs for the masses. It will increase income inequality and poverty: not reduce it. As did stopping the winter fuel allowance and cutting disability benefit which added to the hardship of the most vulnerable people in our society and, given the wealth of empirical evidence into the social determinates of health which have demonstrated the correlation between income and health, added to the winter pressures on the NHS at the very time Government was committed to reducing waiting times.

In 2022 / 23 there were 4.3m children in the UK being brought up in poverty – 2/3rds of whom had a parent in work. In March 2023 there were 107,317 children in the care of the local authority in the UK – the highest number ever. In December 2023, 112,660 homeless households were living in temporary accommodation in England, including 145,800 children. A record-high for both categories. Despite low detection rates the courts could not keep pace with demand and prisons were bursting at the seams. There was concern about rising knife crime amongst young people.

Two million older retired people were living in poverty in the UK in 2024. The state pension had fallen further behind average earnings (23% in 2025 from 24.5% in 2020). This was because the “triple lock” was suspended in 2022 /23 and the state pension increased by 3.1% instead of 8% had it been applied. Stopping the “winter fuel allowance” in 2024 represented a further cut of 3% in the income associated with the universal state pension having been part of older retired people’s income since 1999. It was restored for some in 2025 not, it would seem, because of the hardship it caused or because of the increased winter pressures on the NHS, but because of the opinion poll ratings and loss of votes in the local elections. Retired people got no benefit from the two pre-election cuts in National Insurance but do have to pay more income tax due to the freezing of the tax-free personal allowance and lost their free TV licence in 2022. Therefore, after ten years of catching-up due to the “triple lock”, introduced by the Coalition Government in 2010 to reverse the year-on-year erosion since the earnings link was replaced by a prices link in the 1980’s, older people were again being left behind.

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Tagged inequality and poverty | 10 Comments

What’s on at Bournemouth? FCC’s agenda selection report

By Nick da Costa | Wed 9th July 2025 - 7:30 am

The Federal Conference Committee met on Saturday to review submissions and finalise the agenda for Autumn Conference in Bournemouth, taking place from 20 to 23 September 2025. We’re very much looking forward to returning to Bournemouth; a venue many members know and love.

Motion Submissions and Agenda Planning

As ever, we received a strong volume of submissions, reflecting the wide engagement across the party. In total, we received:

36 policy motions
3 business motions
4 constitutional amendments
2 standing order amendments

Following detailed discussion and several rounds of selection, the FCC agreed to include:

20 policy motions
1 business motion
All 4 constitutional amendments (as they were in order and must therefore appear on the agenda)
All 2 standing order amendments (as they were in order and must therefore appear on the agenda)

We are extremely grateful to all the members, local parties, SAOs, and AOs who submitted motions. The time and effort put into drafting and submitting policy ideas is deeply appreciated.

As always, it’s never easy to narrow down such a strong field of proposals. We wish we could include more; but time at conference is limited. We’ve done our best to include as many debates as possible within the available space. In addition, there are a number of mandatory business items, such as constitutional and standing order amendments, which, when in order, must be taken and therefore reduce the time available for policy debates.

Themed Days and Upcoming Announcements

This year’s Conference will include two themed days — one focused on Climate Change, and one on Youth and Skills. These will provide a wider thematic thread across debates and other events during the Conference. More details will follow when we publish the agenda.

The Conference Agenda and Directory will be published in the coming weeks.

If you haven’t yet registered, you can do so here.

Drafting Advice and Amendment Deadlines

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Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged 2025 autumn conference and federal conference committee | 7 Comments

Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine strongly oppose the Government’s chilling extension of terrorism powers to deal with protest groups like Palestine Action

By The Voice | Mon 7th July 2025 - 11:48 am

Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine have issued the following statement about in response to the Government’s decision to proscribe “Palestine Action”.

The Liberal Democrats are the party of civil liberties. We oppose government overreach and seek to defend the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. The UK Government’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation poses a grave threat to these fundamental rights and represents a dangerous expansion of counterterrorism
powers.

The definition of terrorism is intended to cover acts that cause death, serious personal injury or hostage taking. Palestine Action is a non violent direct-action group targeting companies complicit in the Israeli military-industrial complex. Its methods include occupying premises and damaging factory or military equipment. The persons accused of the actions at Brize Norton
were not charged with terrorism offences. LDFP believes that existing criminal legislation more than covers their actions and any offences should be dealt with as a criminal matter.

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Tagged politics of protest | 12 Comments

5-6 July 2025 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 7th July 2025 - 10:07 am

People waiting over a year for Access to Work support as Lib Dems call on Government to scrap “gutted” welfare legislation
Phillipson on Kuenssberg: Govt must give families reassurance on SEND support
Baroness Maclean: Badenoch must confirm if she agrees with aide or apologise
McMurdock investigation: Reform must come clean about what they knew
More than 10,000 ferries cancelled due to technical faults

People waiting over a year for Access to Work support as Lib Dems call on Government to scrap “gutted” welfare legislation

Someone waited 393 days for a decision on their Access to Work application which offers support to help people into employment a Liberal Democrat Written Parliamentary Question reveals.

It comes as the Government has announced a series of concessions on their controversial welfare bill after a major backbench rebellion. The original reforms would have cut the level of support for new PIP claimants which the Liberal Democrats said would create a two-tier system between old and new claimants, while still making it harder for disabled people to stay in work.

The cuts would have also risked thousands of carers losing their Carer’s Allowance as the person they care for needs to be eligible for PIP to receive the support. Although the Government said it will now entirely remove the PIP cuts from the bill following last minute concessions to Labour rebels, the text of the legislation voted on this week still included them.

The Written Parliamentary Questions by the party already revealed failings in giving people the support they need through the Access to Work scheme. They revealed that someone waited 393 days for a decision to be made on their application for into-employment support with the average wait for a decision being close to two months (57 days).

The WPQs also found that of the 157,000 applications for support in 2024/25 close to 20%, or 29,000, had not received a decision by the end of the financial year.

Access to Work helps people get or stay in work if they have a physical or mental health condition or disability. It can include a grant to help pay for practical support with work, support managing mental health at work or money to pay for communication support at job interviews. These delays disincentivise employers from offering jobs to disabled people as they can hire non-disabled people into roles faster.

The Lib Dems have said that the Government’s handling of this bill was “no way to make legislation let alone run a country”, with the bill rushed through and the full impact assessment of the changes not published. The party said that they would continue to oppose the bill, pointing out that this chop-and-change approach is no way to run our country or reform the welfare system.

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Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged access to work, conservatives, daisy cooper, ferry service, jamie greene, munira wilson, reform uk and SEND | Leave a comment

Emma Macdonald to fight Shetland in Scottish Parliament election

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 6th July 2025 - 6:11 pm

Earlier this year, Beatrice Wishart announced that she wouldn’t seek re-election to the Scottish Parliament to the Shetland seat she won in the 2019 by-election and defended in 2021.

This week, Shetland Liberal Democrats announced that Emma Macdonald will stand for the seat at the Scottish Parliament elections in May.

Emma Macdonald has lived in Shetland most of her life after moving over as a child. Emma now lives in Voe and is married with two children and a grandson. In recent years she has owned and operated Emma-Louise’s The Coffee Shop and worked in social care.

She first joined Shetland Islands Council in 2017 as member for Shetland North, becoming deputy leader a year later. During her first term as a councillor Emma also chaired the Integration Joint Board. In 2022 she was re-elected and appointed Leader, also taking on membership of the Health Board for the Council.

In 2024, she won LGIU’s Cllr Award for Leader of the Year. During her time on the council she has worked on a number of key issues including funding for ferries, making the case for fixed links, reliable broadband and the challenges facing the community over the higher cost of living.

Emma Macdonald said:

I would like to thank local party members for selecting me to be their candidate for the Scottish Parliament election. I would also like to wish Moraig well and offer my commiserations, but I know she will continue to deliver for Shetland in her role in the council.

In my time as council leader, people have seen that I can make a real difference. As your prospective next MSP, I want to ensure that Shetland is at the front of the queue and I will be a strong voice standing up for the issues that matter the most, like replacing the Gilbert Bain hospital and delivering on the promise of fixed links.

Delivering tunnels for Shetland is, ultimately, about future-proofing our island population. Transport connectivity is central to creating sustainable islands which provide good homes and good jobs for our people, and which can reverse decades of depopulation.

I hope that you will lend me your vote in next year’s election and look forward to speaking to as many of you as possible on the campaign trail.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

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Tagged 2026 holyrood elections, emma macdonald and shetland | 1 Comment

Littleborough and Saddleworth by-election – 30 years on

By Howard Sykes | Sun 6th July 2025 - 4:02 pm

In 1995, literally thousands of Liberal Democrats came to help Chris Davies win a parliamentary by-election that was seen as a test as to whether the party could sustain a determined attack from Tony Blair’s New Labour.

The political skills of our campaign manager, Chris Rennard, were pitted against those of Labour’s Peter Mandelson, and we triumphed. The victory paved the way for the number of elected Lib Dem MPs to more than double at the general election that followed less than two years later.

The Littleborough & Saddleworth constituency disappeared then, but Chris Davies was soon after elected to represent the North West of England in the European Parliament. At the time of Brexit in 2020 he was the last British (male) MEP to be chair of a major European Parliament committee.

By way of thanks to those who have given their support over the years, on Sunday, 27 July 2025, Chris and Carol Davies will be hosting from 5.00-8.00pm a gathering for supper at their home in Saddleworth, Oldham.

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Tagged littleborough and saddleworth by-election | 3 Comments

4 July 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 4th July 2025 - 11:47 pm

One in five GPs nearing retirement in some areas as Government’s 10 year plan risks “not touching the sides”
Lib Dem Bill passes in Commons – MP says animal welfare will be “transformed”, bill will end pet mutilation
Jardine secures government progress on supporting bereaved children
Chamberlain: Vote Lib Dem peach to get Scotland back to its best
Greene warns investment needed after litany of failures at Ferguson Marine

One in five GPs nearing retirement in some areas as Government’s 10 year plan risks “not touching the sides”

Thousands of GPs are nearing retirement age with some areas seeing close to a quarter aged over 55, research by the House of Commons Library commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

The party has said that the Government’s 10 year NHS plan risks “not touching the sides”.

The Government’s 10 year plan for the NHS includes the recruitment of thousands more GPs in the coming years but the analysis shows that this may not be enough to replace the number of GPs set to retire over the next decade.

The data shows that 5,717 GPs are aged over 55 at the end of 2024/25 with that number having risen by 150 since March 2023. It represents around one in seven of the full time equivalent GPs in England, including trainees.

The analysis also found that in some areas almost one in four GPs are approaching retirement. In North West London and Mid and South Essex, 24% of the GP workforce is aged over 55, the highest rates in the country. They were followed by North East London on 21%. Overall, 17 of the 42 Integrated Care Boards had seen a rise in the proportion of GPs nearing retirement age.

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to boost GP numbers by 8,000 through incentivising more experienced GPs and nurses to return, including more opportunities for junior doctors and increasing training facilities.

This would be geared towards giving patients a legal right to see their GP within seven days or 24-hours if in urgent need.

Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said:

The Government’s plans for GP recruitment risk not touching the sides in the face of this retirement ticking time bomb. With an ageing population and many GP practices already at breaking point these plans could simply be treading water rather than delivering the change that people are desperately crying out for.

Botched IT roll outs under the Conservatives have dashed people’s faith in the Government’s ability to actually deliver on these kinds of projects and Labour has provided little detail on how they can actually make this happen.

These plans also risk putting up barriers to digitally-excluded older and vulnerable people accessing the health care they need, if there is no additional appropriate support made available to them.

By plonking the social care crisis in the too hard basket once again, this is not a plan to save the NHS, instead it is the most expensive sticking plaster in history.

Lib Dem Bill passes in Commons – MP says animal welfare will be “transformed”, bill will end pet mutilation

Liberal Democrat MP Danny Chambers’ Private Members’ Bill has passed through the Commons today , with the Government backing the Bill. The vet MP said the move will “eradicate” dangerous puppy smuggling and end “serious public health worries” about the spread of disease associated with imported pets.

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Also posted in Press releases and Scotland | Tagged animal welfare, child bereavement, christine jardine, daisy cooper, danny chambers, GP shortage, industrial policy, jamie greene, shipbuilding and wendy chamberlain | 1 Comment

ALDC by-election report, 3rd July

By Liam Yip | Fri 4th July 2025 - 4:34 pm

This week, there were two Wednesday by-elections, both in North Tyneside. Reform UK secured a seat from Labour in Killingworth, whilst the other by-election saw Labour hold their seat in Longbenton & Benton. Thank you to Emma Vinton, David Nisbet and the team for flying the Lib Dem flag.

North Tyneside MBC, Longbenton & Benton
Labour: 739 (39.6%, -16.8)
Reform UK: 602 (32.3%, +19.3)
Green Party: 259 (13.9%, -7.8)
Liberal Democrats (David Nisbet): 183 (9.8%, new)
Conservative: 83 (4.4%, new)

Labour HOLD

North Tyneside MBC, Killingworth
Reform UK: 771 (38.5%, new)
Labour: 639 (31.9%, -22.7)
Conservative: 441 (21.4%, -3.5)
Green Party: 85 (4.2%, -16.3)
Liberal Democrats (Emma Vinton): 81 (4.0%, new)

Reform UK GAIN from Labour

In Consett, we managed to secure victory against Reform UK, after their previous councillor was forced to resign due to his undeclared council employment. Well done to Terry Rooney and the local Liberal Democrat team for ensuring victory and gaining another seat in Durham.

Durham County Council, Benfieldside
Liberal Democrats (Terry Rooney): 824 (28.3%, +17.3)
Labour: 800 (27.4%, +0.8)
Reform UK: 747 (25.6%, -6.6)
Independent: 459 (15.7%, -8.0)
Conservative: 76 (1.6%, -5.0)
Green Party: 40 (1.4%, new)

Liberal Democrat GAIN from Reform UK

In Powys, there was a missed opportunity for Reform UK in a closely-fought fight against us. Well done to Fleur Frantz-Mogans and the local team for ensuring we were able to hold the seat and remain the largest party in Powys.

Powys, Llanidloes
Liberal Democrats (Fleur Frantz-Mogans): 557 (35.5%, +5.2)
Reform UK: 551 (35.1%, new)
Plaid Cymru: 225 (14.3%, +1.9)
Conservative: 118 (7.5%, -7.7)
Labour: 112 (7.1%, -4.8)
Independent: 6 (0.4%, new)

Liberal Democrat HOLD

In Somerset, we were able to hold onto our seat with an overwhelming victory. Well done to Simon McCombe and the local team for ensuring victory and remain the largest party on Bath and NES council.

Bath and North East Somerset Council, Mendip
Liberal Democrats (Simon McCombe): 496 (57.1%, -18.2)
Reform UK: 191 (22.0%, new)
Conservative: 84 (9.7%, +6.7)
Green Party: 57 (6.6%, +2.0)
Labour: 40 (4.6%, +0.9)

Liberal Democrat HOLD

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Tagged aldc local government by-elections | 3 Comments

A great way to celebrate your first anniversary as MP

By The Voice | Fri 4th July 2025 - 2:43 pm

Today, most of our MPs celebrate the first anniversary of the General Election which saw them elected to Parliament.

For one of them, Danny Chambers, MP for Winchester, it was a double celebration as his bill to ban the import of puppies, kittens and ferrets cleared all its Commons stages with Government backing. It now heads to the Lords. The Bill bans the import of animals younger than six months old and also heavily pregnant animals who may be shipped back and forth, at great harm to their welfare.

Danny said:

I’m so proud that this Bill has passed in the Commons. It will stop pet mutilation in Britain once and for all. This legislation will transform animal welfare in the UK and eradicate cruel practices that should have been wiped out years ago.

We are now one crucial step closer to closing the loopholes that allow that kind of animal abuse to happen in this country. Mutilated animals can face horrendous injuries, infections, and psychological issues, which vets like myself see each and every day.

Even more worryingly, the illegal smuggling of puppies has long caused serious public health worries that dangerous diseases could be brought back into the UK. This bill will curb those concerns – stamping out savage practices that endanger animals everywhere.

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Tagged animal welfare, danny chambers and private members bills | 1 Comment

Hina Bokhari urges London mayor to do more to tackle Islamophobia

By Mary Reid | Fri 4th July 2025 - 8:53 am

A couple of weeks ago Hina Bokhari AM (our Leader on the London Assembly) wrote: “Britain is a tinderbox and our efforts to confront Islamophobia are not good enough“.

She has now followed that up with a letter to the Mayor Of London, which has caught the attention of the BBC: “London mayor urged to do more to tackle Islamophobia“. In her letter she wrote:

The threats we face as Muslim Londoners are not abstract or hypothetical – they are immediate, real, and growing.

For many of us, this is not merely about perception or politics. It is about safety. Muslims today live in legitimate fear. Whether walking down the street, engaging online, or simply existing visibly as Muslims, we find ourselves bracing for abuse, harassment or worse.

Hina calls on Sadiq Khan to set up training on Islamophobia.

We need to eradicate Islamophobia, and that will only happen through training. I don’t think people really understand what Islamophobia is, or believe it exists. Some of the attacks I’ve been getting online have been about the fact that people think there is no such thing as Islamophobia.

If we had training then at least people would know what we mean by Islamophobia.

She has been doing the rounds of the TV studios highlighting the issue, even though it is obviously difficult for her.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by BBC London (@bbclondon)

Some of the reactions to this on social media have been disgusting and totally prove her point.

Hina Bokhari is a hero and needs all the support and love we can give her.

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Tagged hina bokhari | 5 Comments

Three Lib Dem MPs nominated for Political Purpose Awards

By The Voice | Wed 2nd July 2025 - 5:30 pm

Three Lib Dem MPs have been shortlisted in the Political Purpose Awards.

From the Nature 2030 website:

The Political Purpose Awards recognise the efforts of UK politicians who have supported and championed environmental causes over the last year, incentivising more MPs to devote their time to protecting nature.

The awards return for their third edition in 2025, in partnership with Ecotricity. This year’s awards celebrate eight categories, including two new awards: Wildlife Crime Prevention and Rewilding and Restoring Nature.

This year’s shortlist was judged by an esteemed panel of campaigners, NGOs, and journalists, all of whom are deeply involved in environmental causes and are therefore exposed to the very best (and the worst) work by our elected representatives.

So, who are the three Lib Dem nominees:

Danny Chambers

Up for the Animal Welfare award, because of his Bill to restrict the import of puppies and other small animals, including ferrets. His citation says:

Danny Chambers has been a vocal supporter of legislation to combat puppy smuggling and improve animal welfare. In November 2024, Chambers supported the Puppy Smuggling Bill, which aims to strengthen regulations on dog imports to prevent illegal trading and improve welfare standards. The bill includes measures to raise the minimum age for imported puppies from 15 to 24 weeks, introduce stricter requirements for rabies testing, and limit the number of dogs that can be transported by a single person.

Tim Farron

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Tagged nature, political purpose awards 2025, roz savage danny chambers and tim farron | Leave a comment

Jo Swinson talks to the Observer about a new approach to economics

By NewsHound | Wed 2nd July 2025 - 3:30 pm

Jo Swinson has long been interested in challenging the conventional way of determining economic success. She’s a graduate of the London School of Economics and when she was a Lib Dem MP, and leader, she promoted the idea of measuring wellbeing and not just GDP.

She has spent the past five years as the Director of Partners for a New Economy. This week she was interviewed about the work of PANE in the Observer.

She had some important observations to make about the timidity of some centre-left governments:

We are in this moment of rupture, where the old economic consensus around neoliberalism has lost credibility and is going away but the new economic paradigm has not yet become clear,” says Jo Swinson.

“The irony is that the defenders of the neoliberal status quo seem to be centre-left governments in different parts of the world.” That, she argues, is one reason the left is struggling: “People have sussed out that this economic system doesn’t work.” By contrast, “the part of the right that is being successful has stopped defending neoliberalism, because they know that it’s not popular and that defending it is not going to win them votes.”

She was positive about the direction Mark Carney might take in Canada:

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Tagged economics, Jo Swinson, partners for a new economy and wellbeing economics | 7 Comments