Category Archives: News

Mark Valladares

3 June 2025 – today’s press releases (part 1)

By Mark Valladares | Tue 3rd June 2025 - 9:30 pm
  • Cancer in the UK report: progress in fighting disease must be “celebrated” but “cannot become complacent”
  • Interim Water Commission: cleaning up water industry will “take more than a hose down”
  • Govt needs to bite the bullet and put Thames Water into special administration
  • Health and social care services face £200 million overspend

Cancer in the UK report: progress in fighting disease must be “celebrated” but “cannot become complacent”

Responding to the Cancer Research UK’s Cancer in the UK report, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said:

The progress that we have made in fighting cancer in recent decades must be celebrated, but we cannot become complacent. There is still so much more we need to do.

We are seeing waiting times grow longer and the rate of early diagnosis stall, all of which could see us squander these years of progress that have given many people the chance to live long and healthy lives.

To do that, we need to see the Government show real ambition in rebuilding cancer services by investing in more radiology machines and rapidly expanding the number of cancer nurses.

That needs to lead us to a point where patients have a legal right to start their treatment within two months of an urgent referral so they can get the care they deserve and potentially save thousands of lives.

Interim Water Commission: cleaning up water industry will “take more than a hose down”

Responding to Sir John Cunliffe’s interim water commission report, Tim Farron MP, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson, said:

This report makes it painfully clear that water companies can pollute and make profit with impunity – all at customers’ expense. At the heart of the sewage scandal is a regulatory system which has failed.

It’s going to take more than a hose down to clean up the water industry. It’s time for Ofwat to go and the Commission must now make this plain.

If Ofwat remains in name or nature, the government will have failed in their aims to improve our waterways and address public outrage with serious regulatory reform.

Liberal Democrats will continue our campaign to replace Ofwat with a new regulator to clean up our waterways for good.

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Mark Valladares

2 June 2025 – today’s other press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 2nd June 2025 - 11:55 pm
  • Cole-Hamilton challenges Farage to pronounce Scottish place names
  • Outrage as Oxford-Cambridge Rail Project classed as “England & Wales”
  • Farage attacks on media are “Trumpian”
  • Lib Dems comment on Farage skipping media

Cole-Hamilton challenges Farage to pronounce Scottish place names

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today accused Nigel Farage of playing a con on the people of Scotland as the Reform UK leader makes his first visit to Scotland since being chased into an Edinburgh pub in 2013.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said:

Nigel Farage is trying to con Scots.

If you live in Kirkcudbright, Milngavie, Penicuik or Garioch, Nigel Farage has absolutely nothing to offer you. He probably wouldn’t even be able pronounce your town.

He’ll breeze in promising the world but with no actual plan for how to make people’s lives better.

I understand that a lot of people are frustrated that they have been let down by the SNP, Conservatives and Labour but it’s the Liberal Democrats who are offering real change, not Reform. We are passionate local campaigners focused on getting you swift access to local healthcare and ensuring that schools are safe places for our kids.

Last year’s general election and the recent English local elections show that we are winning again. If you want change, come with us.

Outrage as Oxford-Cambridge Rail Project classed as “England & Wales”

Wales Short-Changed Again as £6.6bn Rail Investment Project in the Home Counties Results in No Consequential Funding for Wales

The UK Government has confirmed that Wales will not receive Barnett consequentials from the £6.6 billion East-West Rail project between Oxford and Cambridge — a decision that has been slammed by the Welsh Liberal Democrats as yet another example of Labour short-changing Wales on vital infrastructure funding.

Despite the rail scheme being entirely in England, the Treasury has confirmed Wales will not receive Barnett consequentials from the project. Were Wales to be treated like Scotland, it could have received around £360 million in consequential funding to spend on transport projects in Wales.

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Mark Valladares

2 June 2025 – today’s Federal press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 2nd June 2025 - 11:45 pm
  • Davey on Strategic Defence Review: get to 3% faster and reverse troop cuts
  • Submarine announcement could be “damp squib” without funding ambition – Lib Dems
  • Davey on Starmer interview: “concerning lack of urgency”
  • Starmer’s comments on Winter Fuel U-turn shows “the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing”
  • Revealed: Armed forces have shrunk by 2,000 since Labour Government elected

Davey on Strategic Defence Review: get to 3% faster and reverse troop cuts

  • Ed Davey brands 2034 target for 3% defence spending as “far too late” and urges cross-party talks to “move faster”.
  • Lib Dems press for full reversal of Conservatives’ troop cuts as essential step.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has said that “page one” of the Review must include a cast-iron commitment to “boost defence spending to 3% of GDP as soon as possible”.

He said that the 2034 timeline set out by John Healey was “far too late” and showed “a complete lack of urgency” from the Government. The Liberal Democrats have urged cross-party talks to move faster given the threats faced with war on the continent.

The Liberal Democrats first called for a clear roadmap to 3% in January.

The Liberal Democrats are also calling for the Government to commit to a full reversal of the Conservatives’ cut of 10,000 troops in today’s Strategic Defence Review, adding that this is essential to deliver for Britain’s security in an increasingly unstable world.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

With Putin waging war, Trump undermining NATO and conflicts raging, the Strategic Defence Review must deliver for our armed forces and for Britain’s security in an increasingly unstable world. Anything less would be a dereliction of duty.

Page one of the Review must include a firm commitment to boost defence spending to 3% of GDP as soon as possible. 2034 is far too late given the threats we face, and shows a complete lack of urgency. I urge the Prime Minister to organise cross-party talks to move faster to 3% to keep our nation safe.

Submarine announcement could be “damp squib” without funding ambition – Lib Dems

Responding to the Government’s announcement that the UK will build up to 12 new attack submarines, Liberal Democrat Defence Spokesperson Helen Maguire said:

This signals absolutely the right intent about the need to bolster the UK’s defences in the face of Putin’s imperialism and Trump’s unreliability.

But this must come with a concrete commitment and detail on full funding. Labour’s mere ‘ambition’ rather than commitment to reach 3% of GDP on defence leaves serious questions about whether the money for these projects will actually be forthcoming. The 2034 timeline suggests a worrying lack of urgency from the Government.

Unless Labour commits to holding cross-party talks on how to reach 3% much more rapidly than the mid-2030s, this announcement risks becoming a damp squib.

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Mark Valladares

30 May/1 June – a long weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 2nd June 2025 - 11:41 am
  • Military housing: high time for Govt to “get out of the slow lane” and apply decent homes standard
  • Lib Dems on Healey comments: Government “dragging its feet” on reversing Army cuts
  • IFS Briefing: Lib Dems say Government ministers will be “bailing water from a sinking boat with a spoon” if they ignore fixing social care
  • Welsh Lib Dems Respond to Mark Drakeford National Insurance Bombshell
  • Scottish Government rebuked by own watchdog over sewage dumping

Military housing: high time for Govt to “get out of the slow lane” and apply decent homes standard

Responding to the Government’s military housing announcement today , Helen Maguire MP, Liberal Democrat Defence Spokesperson, said:

We’ve been fighting for the Government to get out of the slow lane when it comes to fixing the homes of our military families for years. After years of the Conservatives turning a blind eye, I’m glad to see this Government has finally come to their senses and listened.

Those bravely defending our country deserve proper housing without leaks, mould, floods and freezing temperatures.

But it’s disappointing to see the Government refuse to commit to bring all military homes under the decent homes standard – a change the Lib Dems will continue to champion, so no military family has to suffer in a second-rate home.

Lib Dems on Healey comments: Government “dragging its feet” on reversing Army cuts

Responding to Defence Secretary John Healey confirming that the British Army will not be increased in size this parliament, Liberal Democrat Defence Spokesperson Helen Maguire said:

From lax recruitment goals to slow spending promises, the Government is simply not addressing our defence issues urgently enough. The previous Conservative governments irresponsibly slashed troop numbers, and it’s desperately disappointing to now see Labour dragging its feet on reversing those reckless cuts.

With a war raging on our continent and the twin dangers of an unreliable Trump and an imperialist Putin, we are presented with a once-in-a-generation threat to the UK’s security.

It’s time the Government committed to urgently reversing the Conservatives’ 10,000 troop cut to address that threat.

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Mark Valladares

30 May 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 30th May 2025 - 10:30 pm
  • More than 90% of standard-rate PIP claimants could be at risk of losing support in some areas
  • UK-Gulf trade deal: Govt must not sell out farmers and undermine high standards
  • Cole-Hamilton: Scottish Water plan must ensure no more disappointments

More than 90% of standard-rate PIP claimants could be at risk of losing support in some areas

55 constituencies in England could see 90% of those claiming the standard rate of Personal Independence Payment for daily living activities lose at least some of the benefit following the Government’s cuts, a Written Parliamentary Question by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

Under the Government’s plans, from November 2026 people on PIP will be required to score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity to receive support with everyday tasks such as washing and cooking. Those scoring less will lose access to the “daily living” component, which for some will result in a full withdrawal of the benefit.

In England and Wales, every constituency currently sees at least 80% of those receiving the standard rate of PIP at risk of losing support. A staggering 55 constituencies have at least 90% of claimants that fall into this category.

The constituencies with the highest number of those at risk of having support slashed are in Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney and Tipton and Wednesbury, both with 92% of standard-rate of PIP claimants not scoring four points on all categories of the Government’s test. The worst affected region was Wales where 90% of those on standard-rate PIP did not score four points.

The Liberal Democrats said that it “lays bare the scale of the damage” the cuts could do, adding to people’s worry and “increasing pressure on local areas where these cuts go the deepest”. The party called on the Government to recognise the cuts’ “devastating impact” and “change course”.

Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions spokesperson, Steve Darling MP said:

This lays bare the scale of the damage that the Government’s cuts could do to some of society’s most vulnerable.

Vast swathes of people could be missing out on vital support, not only adding to their suffering but increasing pressure on local areas where these cuts go the deepest.

This is support that helps people with daily tasks that many of us would take for granted, such as staying clean or staying safe and also helps many people stay in work.

The Government must recognise the devastating impact that these cuts could have and change course.

UK-Gulf trade deal: Govt must not sell out farmers and undermine high standards

Responding to reports that the UK Government is set to sign a new trade agreement with the Gulf States, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson and Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said:

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Chris Ward

ALDC by-election Report, 29th May

By Chris Ward | Fri 30th May 2025 - 4:32 pm

This week saw 4 by-elections, with 3 Liberal Democrat candidates. We get to celebrate one hold, one gain, and one ward having a Lib Dem candidate where there was none last time around.

In Lewes, the Lib Dems have held Newhaven North, where the outgoing councillor had previously switched to independent. Congratulations to Cllr Corina Watts and the team, who increased vote share, whilst holding off a Reform challenge.

Lewes District Council, Newhaven North
Liberal Democrats (Corina Watts): 697 (51.7%, +4.1)
Reform UK: 389 (28.9%, new)
Green Party: 122 (9.1%, +1.8)
Conservative: 59 (4.4%, -14.2)
Independent: 57 (4.2%, -22.2)
Labour: 23 (1.7%, new)

Liberal Democrats HOLD

Meanwhile, in Maldon, Cllr Sarah Dodsley again held off a Reform challenge to gain from the Maldon District Independent Group, in a ward where the Lib Dems hold the other seat. Congratulations to Sarah and the team!

Maldon District Council, Maldon West
Liberal Democrats (Sarah Dodsley): 573 (41.5%, +6.8)
Reform UK: 488 (35.3%, new)
Conservative: 204 (14.8%, -2.6)
Maldon District Inds: 83 (6.0%, -28.5)
Green Party: 33 (2.4%, new)

Liberal Democrats GAIN from Maldon District Independent Group

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Mark Valladares

29 May 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 29th May 2025 - 11:15 pm
  • Davey on tariffs: summon the US ambassador as Trump chaos “putting Liz Truss to shame”
  • “Scandal” as 400 military families forced to face emergency housing repairs over VE day anniversary
  • Greene comments on stalemate fears over Ardrossan harbour buyout plan
  • Fiscal forecasts expose SNP financial mismanagement coming home to roost
  • Lib Dems back Presiding Officer in Ross row
  • Cole-Hamilton calls for national RAAC fund

Davey on tariffs: summon the US ambassador as Trump chaos “putting Liz Truss to shame”

Responding to the US Court of International Trade ruling that blocks many of Trump’s tariffs, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

The Government must urgently summon the US ambassador to clarify what this court ruling means for Starmer’s recent deal with Donald Trump. The levels of chaos from Trump’s economic policy is putting Liz Truss to shame.

“Scandal” as 400 military families forced to face emergency housing repairs over VE day anniversary

New research obtained by the Liberal Democrats has revealed that 442 military families had to call for urgent repairs on their state-provided housing over the week of VE-day commemorations – with a massive 64,000 requests for urgent repairs clocking up since January 2024.

Parliamentary questions submitted by the Liberal Democrats have revealed that over 440 urgent repair requests were filed by service families in state-provided military homes over the VE-day week.

The party has condemned the Government’s “hypocrisy” as the statistics have come to light. They’ve said it’s “a scandal” that so many serving families had to deal with the fallout of poor accommodation, particularly during a week of celebration for the service of the UK’s Armed Forces personnel and veterans.

The investigation, led by Helen Maguire – the party’s defence spokesperson – also revealed that a massive 64,258 urgent repair requests had been filed by military families since January 2024.

The harsh winter months saw the highest number of callouts by families in military homes, with 5,921 urgent requests submitted in January 2024 and 5,546 in January 2025.

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Richard Flowers

What Happened at the English Council?

By Richard Flowers | Thu 29th May 2025 - 4:56 pm

There is a substantial debate taking place within the Liberal Democrats at the moment, though you may have heard nothing about it: should the Party be a member-led, volunteer-based organisation or become professionalised, organised by a paid staff funded mainly through high-value-donor contributions?

You may remember that at Spring Conference in Harrogate, the Federal Party adopted a constitutional amendment to take on the responsibility for candidate approval and selection (item F10 on the conference agenda), putting these into the hands of the paid campaigns team.

In that way, F10 was a step towards the “professional” Party route.

Whereas, the current system for candidates, which in England consists of regional candidates’ chairs working together though the English Candidates Committee, with the elected English Candidates’ Chair, represents in this case the “member-led” approach.

As the Liberal Democrats are a Federal organisation, the F10 amendment will only come into force if it is approved by the three State Parties: England, Scotland and Wales. (Here we should recognise Matt McLaren and other members of the English Council who were able to confirm this in the meeting.)

Therefore, on Thursday last week, there was a meeting of the English Council, the 150 members elected to govern the Liberal Democrats in England, with the main item on the agenda being a constitutional amendment submitted by the Chair and officers to transfer those responsibilities to the Federal Party.

If you are a member of the Liberal Democrats in England you may already have read an email from the English Chair, Caroline Pidgeon, laying out the result.

There were 132 members of the Council present.

80 (60.6%) voted for the amendment (as amended).

52 (39.4%) voted against.

Leaving the motion 8 votes short of the two-thirds needed to amend the constitution.

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Mark Valladares

28 May 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 28th May 2025 - 10:30 pm
  • Thames Water must be turned into a public benefit company
  • Prepayment Meters: victims must see compensation before the winter and debts fully written off
  • Defra cuts: Government treating rural communities with “gobsmacking contempt”
  • Police chiefs letter: police and criminal justice systems need “real leadership” say Lib Dems
  • Scot Lib Dems call for new treatment pathways for neurodiversity
  • McArthur writes to MSPs as France backs assisted dying
  • Jardine calls for the scrapping of the Two Child Cap

Thames Water must be turned into a public benefit company

Speaking on the £122.7m fine handed down to Thames Water, Lib Dem Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs Spokesperson Tim Farron MP said:

This is shocking but hardly surprising. Thames Water has been failing for years; failing to invest, failing to maintain, and failing to deliver, and all the while it has been dumping sewage in our rivers and waterways. It has saddled customers with its debts and provided them with shoddy service in the meantime.

This should be the final nail in the coffin for Thames Water. It needs to be turned into a public benefit company and Ofwat needs to be scrapped and replaced with a real regulator with teeth.

Prepayment Meters: victims must see compensation before the winter and debts fully written off

Responding to the announcement that thousands of energy customers are set to receive payouts of up to £1,000 each in response to the prepayment meters scandal, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and long-time campaigner on this issue Wera Hobhouse said:

It is high-time that the victims of this scandal are recognised and properly compensated after energy companies rode rough-shod over them in this disgraceful way. Those affected have already waited too long for justice. Pay outs now need to be made in time for the winter months, when we know energy costs are higher.

The Conservative Party neglected these victims and ignored Liberal Democrat attempts to prevent more people suffering forced installations. Today they should feel ashamed of their failures.

And to think that some may still not have all their debt written off is simply not right. These companies need to write off the debts they forced upon the people who bore the brunt of this scandal.

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Mark Valladares

26-27 May 2025 – two days of press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 27th May 2025 - 10:45 pm
  • Nearly 2 million to be hit by £9 billion “stealth tax bombshell” by the end of the decade
  • Labour needs to “learn to u-turn faster” on two-child benefit cap
  • Davey on Farage speech: “Trussonomics on steroids”
  • Triple lock: from privatising the NHS now Farage “wants to come after people’s pensions”
  • Badenoch must rule out Rupert Lowe joining Conservatives
  • 9,523 Scots waiting on social care assessment or care package

Nearly 2 million to be hit by £9 billion “stealth tax bombshell” by the end of the decade

The Labour government’s plans to maintain the income tax threshold freezes introduced by the Conservatives mean that an estimated additional 1.9 million people will be hit, forcing them to shell out close to an estimated £9 billion in additional tax receipts by the end of the decade, House of Commons Library research, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, has revealed.

The Labour government has said that income tax threshold freezes for both the Personal Allowance and the higher rate of income tax will be maintained until April 2028. The impact means that between 2025/26 and 2029/30 an estimated 1.9 million people will be forced to pay a higher rate of tax due to these threshold freezes.

It means for those millions impacted, they will be forced to shell out an estimated £8.9 billion in additional tax as a result of the freezes by the end of the decade.

It follows on from the previous Conservatives government’s decision to freeze tax thresholds in April 2021. The House of Commons Library research says the impact of that 2021 freeze combined with the Labour government’s decision to maintain the freeze means that an estimated additional 7.625 million people will have been dragged into higher tax bands by the end of the decade. That is the equivalent to one in nine of the current UK population.

The total additional tax bill since the 2021 freeze will reach roughly £33.2 billion by 2029/30, rising from £24.3 billion this year.

The hardest hit areas will be London and the South East, where people in both regions hit by the stealth tax will pay out an estimated £3 billion in additional tax from now until the end of the decade. In total, London and the South East will have paid out £11.3 billion in additional taxes by the end of the decade since the April 2021 freeze.

The Liberal Democrats said that the “Conservative economic vandalism led us into this mess, but this Labour government has proven clueless in generating the growth needed to break this stagnation”. The party added that the only way to bring down the tax bill was through meaningful growth and that needed to come from the Government scrapping its jobs tax and negotiating a bespoke UK-EU customs union.

Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson, Daisy Cooper MP said:

During the midst of the worst cost of living crisis for a generation, people are now set to be hammered once again by this stealth tax bombshell.

People should be rewarded for their hard-work, not seeing earnings ripped away through these punitive measures.

The Conservatives’ economic vandalism led us into this mess, but this Labour government has proven clueless in generating the growth needed to break this stagnation.

The only way we can bring the tax bill down, protect family finances and rebuild public services is through meaningful economic growth. That has to come from scrapping the Government’s jobs tax and negotiating a bespoke UK-EU customs union to free our businesses from a Gordian Knot of red tape.

Labour needs to “learn to u-turn faster” on two-child benefit cap

Responding to Bridget Phillipson telling the Today programme that scrapping the two-child benefit cap is “on the table”, Daisy Cooper MP, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson and Deputy Leader, said:

The heartless two-child limit has to go – no ifs, no buts.

Dangling hope in front of desperate parents is inexcusable. Continuing to punish children just for being born is unforgivable.

The public is fed up of a government failing to deliver change – Labour needs to learn to u-turn faster.

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Mark Pack

Mark Pack’s May report to members

By Mark Pack | Tue 27th May 2025 - 3:48 pm

Thank you…

It is always good to start with thanking colleagues, and this month marked the final full council for Gareth Morgan. He has served an amazing 52 (!) years as a councillor, having been first elected to then Montgomery County Council in 1973 as a Liberal.

Given all the political ups and downs for our party and its predecessors in the years since, that is a particularly impressive run. It is also a run that enabled Gareth to do so much good for local residents’ and for promoting our values.

Thank you, Gareth.

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Mark Valladares

26 May 2025 – the overnight press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 26th May 2025 - 10:24 am
  • Patients “left in the lurch” as month long waits for last minute cancelled ops to be rearranged more than double
  • Scot Lib Dems to lead debate calling for immediate teacher workforce plan

Patients “left in the lurch” as month long waits for last minute cancelled ops to be rearranged more than double

Close to 20,000 operations cancelled at the last minute took more than 28-days to rearrange last year, in breach of the NHS’s own standard, research by the House of Commons Library commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

It means that 23% of the 85,400 elective operations cancelled at the last minute in 2024/25 took longer than a month to rearrange. This represents a three-fold increase on 2015/16’s figure of 7%.

The Liberal Democrats said the figures showed patients being “left in the lurch” as they waited for “potentially life altering operations”. The party called on the Government to end its “embrace of dither and delay” and take action on rebuilding crumbling hospitals and end the crisis in social care “so crucial to fixing the underlying problem in the health service”.

The data also shows that the number of last minute cancellations breaching the health service’s 28-day standard has also risen significantly from 9,000 in 2015/16 to 19,400 last year. That represents an 115% increase on the waits for rescheduled last minute cancellations a decade ago. In the past year alone the number of these breaches has jumped by around 1,500, up 8% to the highest level post the pandemic.

The data also revealed a breakdown on NHS Trusts with the most breaches of the 28-day standard. The Trust with the highest number of breaches that had not experienced a recent merger was University Hospitals Leicester with 942 and then followed by Surrey and Sussex Healthcare with 710.

Of the 108 NHS Trusts that reported full data for each year since 2015/16, 73 saw a rise in the number of breaches.

Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokesperson, Helen Morgan MP said:

Patients are being left in the lurch, forced to wait in pain and distress for potentially life altering operations. Each of these delays represents an extra month that someone’s misery is prolonged.

This is the devastating legacy of the Conservatives neglect of this NHS, but the Labour government is proving aimless in how to turn this around with ill-thought through reforms and kicking vital projects into the long-grass.

This embrace of dither and delay on building new hospitals or fixing the crisis in social care, so crucial to fixing the underlying problem in the health service, is failing patients. It is time Ministers realised this and showed real ambition in ending these unacceptable delays and getting patients the care they deserve.

Scot Lib Dems to lead debate calling for immediate teacher workforce plan

Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Willie Rennie will lead a Scottish Parliament debate on Wednesday afternoon in which his party will call for an immediate teacher workforce plan to counter declines in key subjects like Maths and Physics and a lack of permanent contracts for teaching staff.

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Mark Valladares

24-25 May 2025 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 25th May 2025 - 11:00 pm
  • Number of lung cancer patients not treated within two-month standard rises by 40% with some waiting more than a year
  • Winter Fuel Payments: Govt needs to complete world’s slowest u-turn
  • Cole-Hamilton reveals constituencies with most sewage spills and those with no monitoring
  • Greene urges government to keep a record of online sextortion offences

Number of lung cancer patients not treated within two-month standard rises by 40% with some waiting more than a year

The number of lung cancer patients not treated within the 62-day standard from a referral has risen by 40% since 2019 to 3,750 last year

One patient waited 481 days to begin treatment following a referral for lung cancer with hundreds waiting longer than four months for care in 2024

Liberal Democrat MP Clive Jones, a cancer campaigner and cancer survivor himself, has now written to the Health Secretary following the closure of the call to evidence for the National Cancer Plan demanding a target for 100% of patients beginning treatment within 62-days

The number of lung cancer patients waiting longer than the 62-day referral to treatment standard has risen by 41% since 2019, with 3,750 patients enduring waits of at least two-months last year, Freedom of Information requests (FOIs) by Lib Dem MP Clive Jones’ office have revealed.

Jones’ office received responses from 65 of the 144 NHS Trusts meaning the true number of lung cancer patients not treated within the 62-day standard is likely far higher. From those Trusts that did respond, it showed that those treated outside of the 62-days rose from 2,660 in 2019, to 3,750 last year, a rise of 41%.

The data also revealed the number of people waiting more than four-months to receive treatment, more than double the time expected for the standard. It showed 717 people last year waiting at least four-months, double 2019’s figure of 356. Trusts also responded with the longest time that someone had waited to begin lung cancer treatment with Bedfordshire Hospitals reporting a wait of 481 days.

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Mark Valladares

23 May 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 23rd May 2025 - 11:40 pm
  • Telegraph deal: stake promised to UAE before legislation approved “puts the cart before the horse”
  • With just weeks to go, 125,000 meters still need replaced
  • UK Government admits it doesn’t know how much Welsh Rail electrification would cost

Telegraph deal: stake promised to UAE before legislation approved “puts the cart before the horse”

Responding to reports that the Telegraph has agreed a deal with a US private equity firm but that the UAE will retain a 15% stake, Chris Fox, Liberal Democrat Lords’ Spokesperson for Business and sponsor of the fatal motion to block the legislation allowing foreign state stakes in British papers, said:

Promising a stake in the Telegraph to the UAE before Nandy’s legislation has passed Parliament puts the cart before the horse.

We don’t believe in letting overseas states buy their way in to influencing the news we read. We’ll move to block the law as soon as it reaches the Lords – and can win the vote if the Conservatives do the right thing and stand with us.

The new permissions for foreign ownership of newspapers simply don’t exist yet, and there’s many lawmakers who don’t believe they should.

Of course we want to see our iconic British papers survive, but editorial independence must be shielded from foreign sway – not just in the current case, but for all future deals cut on UK newspaper ownership as the media landscape continues to change beyond recognition.

With just weeks to go, 125,000 meters still need replaced

Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP for Shetland Beatrice Wishart has called for urgent action to prepare for the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) switch-off as she highlighted figures showing that with just weeks to go there are just under 125,000 meters still to be replaced but just 5,000 per fortnight are being replaced.

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Michal Siewniak

From working in Greggs to becoming a Deputy Mayor

By Michal Siewniak | Fri 23rd May 2025 - 5:53 pm

“My mission in life is not merely to survive but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style”.

If someone told me exactly 20 years ago that I would become a Deputy Mayor of Welwyn Hatfield, I wouldn’t have believed. Although I completed my MA Degree in History in Poland and Croatia, which included learning about the UK Parliament and its democratic processes, I don’t think that I understood the function of Mayor as well as the role of the Local Authorities. Starting in Greggs, then moving to a well-known retailer, Hertfordshire Council, Secondary School and eventually, landing in the Community and Voluntary Sector, which played a huge part in enabling me to fall in love with charities, local groups and grassroots organisation on issues such as engagement, community participation and capacity building.

Moreover, for purely political reasons and democratic composition of our Council, it would not be possible for me to even contemplate the possibility of putting myself forward and actually winning the contest.

It was quite a privilege to be appointed as the Deputy Mayor at the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council’s AGM on Monday, 19th May. It was equally amazing to be elected as the first Polish and European national to this role. It was wonderful to see a group of 30 people, to my surprise, who joined the meeting. The quiet Chamber has suddenly become a bit noisier! It was so uplifting to receive a number of encouraging messages, since my appointment.

Am I excited? Yes? A bit nervous? Yes? However, I am hugely looking forward to the opportunity that presents itself. The chain itself helps, however I am so keen, as a passionate activist, to ensure that this role enables me to inspire others to make a difference. I will work my hardest to build bridges, connect people, and challenge negative attitudes and misconceptions. So, none of it is about me but about bringing residents of Welwyn Hatfield together in order to create a sense of fraternity and belonging. It is so important, especially today, when we seem to be often separated and far away from each other.

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Chris Ward

ALDC by-election report, 22nd May

By Chris Ward | Fri 23rd May 2025 - 3:55 pm

 Three by-elections on Thursday 22nd May, and a trio of Liberal Democrat defences. 

In Horsham, there was a by-election to fill the seat vacated by new Liberal Democrat MP John Milne. Congratulations to Cllr Louise Potter and the team on a good hold! 

West Sussex County Council, Horsham Riverside
Liberal Democrats (Louise Potter): 1193 (45.7%)
Conservative: 569 (21.8%)
Reform UK: 547 (21.0%)
Labour: 181 (6.9%)
Green Party: 118 (4.5%)

Liberal Democrats HOLD 

A successful defence too on Eastleigh Council, where Cllr John Shepherd was elected to be Lib Dem group leader Keith House’s latest ward colleague. Congratulations! 

Eastleigh Borough Council, Hedge End South
Liberal Democrats (John Shepherd): 1266 (44.4%, -8.7)
Conservative: 735 (25.8%, -3.8)
Reform UK: 728 (25.5%, new)
Labour: 122 (4.3%, -6.6)

Liberal Democrats HOLD 

Congratulations too, in Sutton, where a potentially tricky by-election defence in a Conservative / Lib Dem split ward was emphatically won by Cllr Lisa Webster. 

Sutton London Borough Council, Carshalton South & Clockhouse
Liberal Democrats (Lisa Webster):1674 (52.2%, +12.1)
Conservative: 767 (23.9%, -18.2)
Reform UK: 573 (17.9%, new)
Labour: 89 (2.8%, -5.4)
Green Party: 79 (25.5%, -7.1)
CPA: 23 (0.7%, new) 

Liberal Democrats HOLD 

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Mark Valladares

22 May 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 22nd May 2025 - 11:35 pm
  • Government borrowing figures: “warning lights must be flashing in the Treasury” – Lib Dems
  • Government back Lib Dem campaigns protecting victims of domestic abuse and sexual offence
  • Teachers’ pay award: Government “building castles in the sky” if they think schools can fund rise
  • First Minister misses two-year NHS waiting times target

Government borrowing figures: “warning lights must be flashing in the Treasury” – Lib Dems

Responding to the latest figures showing that Government borrowing in April was at its fourth-highest since records began, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Daisy Cooper said:

The warning lights must be flashing in the Treasury this morning.

Rachel Reeves has failed to get a grip on the mess left by the Conservatives, making a series of blunders whilst avoiding taking the bold action that would set us on the right path.

It is time for the Labour government to change course. The first steps must be scrapping the damaging jobs tax, reforming business rates and being much more ambitious in negotiations with the EU, pushing for a customs union that would create the growth we desperately need to rebuild public services and protect family finances. Short-sighted red lines will only doom Rachel to failure.

Government back Lib Dem campaigns protecting victims of domestic abuse and sexual offence

Today, the Government has agreed to act on two Lib Dem campaign priorities as part of their response to the Gauke Review.

In response to Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson Josh Babarinde’s campaign to formally recognise domestic abuse crimes in the law, the Government has announced it will create a specific, new categorisation that will enable judges to officially register offences as crimes of domestic abuse.

This would enable the Government to finally be able to exclude domestic abusers from its SDS40 early release scheme – which has so far allowed many domestic abusers to leave prison early in the absence of such a categorisation – putting victims at risk.

It will also mean the Government will now be able to track the number and reoffending rate of domestic abusers offenders. Josh Babarinde uncovered via a Written Parliamentary Question that currently, in the absence of a categorisation, the Government doesn’t know how many domestic abusers are in prison.

Sarah Olney’s longstanding campaign to enable victims of rape and sexual offences to request a transcript of sentencing remarks free of charge has also been included in the Government’s review.

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Mark Valladares

22 May 2025 – the overnight press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 22nd May 2025 - 7:30 am
  • Accounts Commission report shows councils face “titanic gulf”
  • Welsh Lib Dems Respond to Bevan Foundation Report on Impact of Disability Benefit Reforms on Wales

Accounts Commission report shows councils face “titanic gulf”

Responding to the embargoed Accounts Commission report into Scotland’s council finances, which warns that despite the average council tax rising by 9.6%, local government continues to face recurring pressures in excess of funding uplifts, with councils identifying a difference of £647 million between anticipated expenditure and the funding and income they receive, Scottish Liberal Democrat finance spokesperson Jamie Greene said:

Local authorities have had a raw deal from the SNP over many

…

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Mark Valladares

21 May 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 21st May 2025 - 10:30 pm
  • Inflation: High time the Government put in place a proper plan to boost our economy
  • Thames Water bonuses: Hardly a cause for celebration for customers
  • Winter Fuel Payments: the “world’s longest u-turn continues”
  • Winter Fuel Payments: Serious proposal from the Prime Minister Needed
  • Lib Dems Respond to Welsh Gov Business Rates Consultation
  • Carmichael challenges Prime Minister to pause family farm tax

Inflation: High time the Government put in place a proper plan to boost our economy

Responding to inflation rising to 3.5%, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader and Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

Today’s grim figures reveal a triple whammy on Britain’s households – resulting from the Government’s disastrous jobs tax, Donald Trump’s devastating tariffs and April’s damaging business rates bill rises.

Ministers cannot allow inflation to spiral as it did under the Conservatives, but they risk repeating their record for as long as the employer’s National Insurance hike remains in place.

It’s high time the Government saw sense and put in place a proper plan to boost our economy: scrapping the jobs tax, standing with our allies to end Trump’s trade war, and urgently negotiating a new customs union with the EU. We must see bold action to deliver relief for millions of hard-pressed households.

Thames Water bonuses: Hardly a cause for celebration for customers

Responding to reports that Thames Water has halted their bosses bonus scheme, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for the Environment, Tim Farron MP said:

This will hardly be cause to celebrate for the millions of Thames Water customers who continue to face eye-watering bills.

The public are rightly fed-up with having Thames Water’s mess dumped on them.

The Government must act now and replace Ofwat with a new regulator with real power that can properly hold water companies to account on environmental pollution and unjustifiable bonuses.

Winter Fuel Payments: the “world’s longest u-turn continues”

Responding to the Prime Minister saying that more pensioners will be eligible for Winter Fuel Payments next winter, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

The world’s longest u-turn continues.

The Prime Minister has today announced the ‘concepts of a plan’ that have come far too late for the millions of pensioners forced to freeze in their own homes over the winter.

The least those people deserve is an apology for this punitive policy and a serious proposal from the Prime Minister on how he will begin to pick up the pieces from his Government’s disastrous decision. Not vague words that will take months to materialise into something meaningful.

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Caron Lindsay

Ed Davey’s Why I care and why care matters out this Friday

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 21st May 2025 - 9:17 am

Ed Davey has written a book about his own varied and lifelong caring experience and it’s coming out on 22 May, just in time for me to take my copy with me on my Highland holiday.

He sent an email to party members telling us about the book and letting us know that we can get 30% if we pre-order by today.

He said:

As you know, caring is, and has been, much of my life. And yet, it is only since becoming Leader that I have felt comfortable and compelled to speak about it. In my first speech, I talked about being a voice for carers, and you will remember how the message grew into the story I shared in our election broadcast.

Opening up like that was a big decision for both Emily and me. But since then, we have received a fairly constant stream of support and kindness. My inbox has become almost like a meeting place for carers from all over the country to share their support, advice and kind words, and talk about their problems.

It truly solidified for me that telling our stories – the realities of caring, the joys and the struggles – is the most powerful way to change things. It cuts through the noise and reminds everyone of the human beings at the heart of this issue.

The thought that care might slip down the priority list scares me. It too often feels like governments see care as something that’s just… too complicated, too difficult to really tackle. And that’s a shame, because I believe it’s the very foundation of a healthy society.

And so, I have written a book.

I will be honest, it’s deeply personal for me, and for the four other carers whose stories I tell. At times, I found it difficult to write.

But with these personal stories, and my reflections on what it’s going to take to really fix care, I hope we can put care at the forefront of people’s minds, make it so real that it can’t be ignored.

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Mark Valladares

21 May 2025 – the overnight press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 21st May 2025 - 7:30 am
  • Water sector investigations: Doesn’t even begin to address sewage scandal
  • Reaching net zero is ambitious but achievable if SNP ditch familiar excuses

Water sector investigations: Doesn’t even begin to address sewage scandal

Commenting to the Government’s announcement into the number of criminal investigations into environmental breaches by water companies, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson Tim Farron MP said:

81 investigations does not even begin to address the sewage scandal that has plagued British rivers and seas for far too long.

This is a national scandal which got far worse under the Conservatives’ watch. Their record is one of rising sewage levels and water firms stuffing

…

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Mark Valladares

20 May 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 20th May 2025 - 11:20 pm
  • Health Foundation mortality report: must be a “wake-up call” for Government to turnaround these “unacceptable statistics”
  • Winter Fuel Payment: u-turn taking so long it puts “turning an oil tanker around to shame”
  • Jamie Greene taking on additional role as transport spokesperson
  • Lib Dems: UK Govt must ensure households compensated if worse off after RTS shutdown
  • Rennie: Decline in college staff shows SNP neglect of further education
  • McArthur comments on young offender death inquiry
  • Greene responds to Liberty Steel news
  • Cole-Hamilton presses SNP over failure to deliver Erasmus replacement

Health Foundation mortality report: must be a “wake-up call” for Government to turnaround these “unacceptable statistics”

Responding to a report by The Health Foundation, which revealed that by 2023, female mortality rates in the UK were 14% higher when compared with the median of 21 other high-income countries, with male mortality rates 9% higher, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said:

Preventing avoidable deaths and protecting the public’s health should be at the top of any Government’s priorities and to see it neglected in this way, bringing immeasurable suffering to people and their loved ones, should be a wake-up call to us all.

The Conservatives’ catastrophic mismanagement of the NHS and their savage cuts to public health support have brought us to this point but the Labour government has shown nowhere near the ambition required to repair these unacceptable statistics.

It is not good enough for ministers to sit on their hands and watch the NHS and the opportunity to live a healthy life decay in this way. We need to see the Government step in as a matter of urgency, to reverse the cuts to the public health grant and bring an end to these devastating deaths.

Winter Fuel Payment: u-turn taking so long it puts “turning an oil tanker around to shame”

Responding to the Chancellor’s comments that she will listen to concerns over the Government’s decision to cut winter fuel payments, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

This U-turn is taking so long it puts turning an oil tanker around to shame.

The Government should feel embarrassed that it has taken a dire set of a local election results to realise what everyone has known from the start: this policy was doomed to fail and punished some of the most vulnerable.

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Mark Valladares

19 May 2025 – yesterday’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 20th May 2025 - 10:35 pm

A day later than usual, as I was busy being “gloriously” re-elected as Chair of Creeting St Peter Parish Council…

  • Davey on UK-EU deal: “positive first steps” but PM must ignore Reform and Conservative “dinosaurs”
  • Youth Mobility Scheme: UK needs “explicit details” not “woolly commitments”
  • UK-EU deal: with “more ambition” economic benefits could have been “ten times greater”
  • Scottish Water failure to follow up Holy Loch spilling “woefully complacent”

Davey on UK-EU deal: “positive first steps” but PM must ignore Reform and Conservative “dinosaurs”

Responding to reports that the UK and EU have reached a deal to be announced later today, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

These seem to be some positive first steps in rebuilding our relationship with Europe after years of a Conservative Party that wrecked trust and broke our relationship with our closest allies.

The Prime Minister must ignore the naysayers and dinosaurs in Reform and the Conservative Party and be more ambitious in getting the best deal in the national interest.

Youth Mobility Scheme: UK needs “explicit details” not “woolly commitments”

Responding to reports that a youth mobility scheme has been agreed only in principle, Liberal Democrat Europe Spokesperson, James MacCleary MP said:

After months of flip-flopping, it appears the Government won’t get a youth mobility scheme over the line today.

That’s incredibly disappointing – we need more than just a woolly commitment. While an agreement in principle marks progress after months of Lib Dem pressure on this issue, we should have been able to negotiate a scheme at today’s summit, rather than kicking the can once more down the road.

The Government must make it an urgent priority after talks end to map out explicit details on how and when the youth scheme will be introduced.

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Mark Valladares

16-18 May 2025 – the (long) weekend’s press releases (part 3)

By Mark Valladares | Mon 19th May 2025 - 11:20 am
  • Davey on UK-EU Summit: PM must be ambitious and not “dragged back” by Badenoch and Farage
  • £5bn from Youth Mobility Scheme would give Government “nowhere to hide” on winter fuel payment, say Lib Dems
  • Davey on care visas: ‘Don’t leave our loved ones in the lurch’
  • 2024 worst on record for ambulance equipment faults

Davey on UK-EU Summit: PM must be ambitious and not “dragged back” by Badenoch and Farage

Ahead of the UK-EU Summit, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey has urged the Prime Minister to be “bold and ambitious for our country” and ignore “dinosaurs fighting old battles” in Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage.

The Lib Dems wrote to Labour MPs over the weekend, urging them to back closer trade ties with the EU to boost the public finances and avoid cuts to support for vulnerable families and pensioners.

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said:

Keir Starmer must be bold and ambitious for our country in today’s summit. Voters were promised change by this government, and they have to deliver.

Being truly ambitious, including a new UK-EU customs union, would be the single biggest thing ministers could do to boost growth and fix the public finances.

Anything less would be a choice to limit growth, harming living standards and hitting the NHS and other public services.

The Prime Minister must ignore the dinosaurs fighting old battles, who want to drag us back to the destructive Brexit wars of the past, and focus on getting the best deal possible for the UK.

£5bn from Youth Mobility Scheme would give Government “nowhere to hide” on winter fuel payment, say Lib Dems

The Centre for European Reform claims that a Youth Mobility Scheme could add 0.45% to GDP over the long-term. New House of Commons Library analysis commissioned by the Liberal Democrats suggests that such growth could add roughly £5 billion to exchequer revenues a year.

The House of Commons Library has estimated that if GDP was 0.45% higher this could mean an additional tax revenue of around £5 billion a year in the long-run. The 0.45% figure was arrived at by a Centre for European Reform study on the economic impact of a Youth Mobility Scheme between the UK and EU.

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Mark Valladares

16-18 May 2025 – the (long) weekend’s press releases (part 2)

By Mark Valladares | Sun 18th May 2025 - 11:00 pm
  • Lib Dems urge Labour MPs to back closer trade with EU which could raise £25 billion a year and avoid welfare cuts
  • Record low number of frontline NHS staff receive flu jabs this winter as some areas see less than one in 10 vaccinated
  • Youth Mobility Scheme news a ‘glimmer of hope’
  • Scottish Water urged to get a grip as bills and bonuses rise

Lib Dems urge Labour MPs to back closer trade with EU which could raise £25 billion a year and avoid welfare cuts

The Liberal Democrats have sent a letter to Labour MPs urging them to back closer trade ties with the EU to boost the public finances and avoid “savage” cuts to support for vulnerable families and pensioners.

It comes as House of Commons Library analysis, commissioned by the party, has estimated that if GDP was 2.2% higher, that could mean roughly £25 billion in extra tax revenues a year. The 2.2% figure is from independent analysis by Frontier Economics commissioned by Best for Britain and is for GDP in the long-run based on a new trade deal with the EU that secured deep alignment on goods and services.

This would easily be enough for the Government to U-turn on its cuts to winter fuel payments (£1.5 billion) and disability benefits (£5 billion), along with future cuts to public spending expected to be announced by the Chancellor in the Spending Review next month.

In the letter sent to Labour MPs, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Calum Miller will say his party would be willing to work constructively on securing a new trade deal with Europe, providing the boost to public finances needed to reverse cuts to disability benefits and the winter fuel payment. The Liberal Democrats’ 72-strong group of MPs is the largest third party in 100 years. Over 100 Labour MPs have reportedly signed a letter calling on the Government to back down from the welfare cuts.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for a new trade deal with the EU including a new UK-EU customs union, which would significantly reduce red tape for British businesses exporting to the continent. Previous independent analysis has found that close alignment with the EU on goods and services could boost GDP by 2.2%. The House of Commons Library has estimated that if GDP was 2.2% higher, this could boost annual tax revenues by roughly £25 billion.

Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Calum Miller MP said:

A far more ambitious trade deal with Europe, including a new UK-EU customs union, would be the single biggest thing ministers could do to boost growth and fix the public finances.

The Liberal Democrats stand ready to work constructively with Labour MPs to boost trade with Europe and avoid savage cuts for vulnerable families and pensioners.

The local elections showed the Government is facing a massive backlash for failing to deliver the change the country was promised. Ministers now face a stark choice: be bold enough to change course or continue with policies that are harming people and our economy.

Record low number of frontline NHS staff receive flu jabs this winter as some areas see less than one in 10 vaccinated

A record low of 37% of frontline health service staff took up flu jabs this winter, with some areas seeing less than one in 10 receive the vaccine. This came as hospitals battled a surge in those admitted due to the disease, House of Commons Library research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

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Mark Valladares

16-18 May 2025 – the (long) weekend’s press releases (part 1)

By Mark Valladares | Sun 18th May 2025 - 10:15 pm
  • Davey on European Political Community Summit: PM needs to be “bold and ambitious” but EU leaders need to “play ball”
  • EFRA committee report: Government “must listen” and “ditch tax”
  • Greene blasts incompetence at the Water Industry Commission
  • Greene: If SNP won’t ban conversion practices, they should let me do it

Davey on European Political Community Summit: PM needs to be “bold and ambitious” but EU leaders need to “play ball”

Ahead of the European Political Community Summit, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

The Prime Minister must be bold and ambitious, using today’s talks to set out his stall for Monday’s vital ‘reset’ summit.

Between securing a youth mobility scheme, agreeing a comprehensive defence pact and making progress on building a bespoke customs union, he has the opportunity to deliver genuine growth and security for our country.

EU leaders need to play ball too. In the face of Trump’s unpredictability and Putin’s barbaric imperialism, it’s vital that we deepen our cooperation across trade and defence – and prevent talks stalling in a quagmire of petty disputes. A proper deal between the UK and EU will benefit us all.

EFRA committee report: Government “must listen” and “ditch tax”

Responding to the EFRA committee’s report saying that the Government must rethink the family farm tax, Tim Farron MP, Liberal Democrat Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Spokesperson, said:

The Government’s disastrous family farm tax has been a hammer blow to many farms up and down the country. The EFRA committee is absolutely right to call for a pause to rethink this dreadful tax.

Lib Dems have been hounding the Government from the very start to axe the family farm tax and protect those farmers already hanging by a thread after years of being failed by the Conservative party, with a botched Brexit deal, rocketing bills and plunging incomes.

It’s about time the Government started listening to farmers — and that starts by admitting they were wrong, listening to this report and ditching the family farm tax.

Greene blasts incompetence at the Water Industry Commission

Responding to a new report from the Scottish Parliament’s Public Audit Committee which notes that a ‘catalogue of failures’ led to the inappropriate and unacceptable use of public money at the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS) and calling on the Scottish Government to review its systems for identifying concerns with public bodies to ensure any issues are caught at an early stage, Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Jamie Greene MSP said:

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Caron Lindsay

IDAHOBIT: Jamie Greene MSP: If SNP won’t ban conversion practices, they should let me do it

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 17th May 2025 - 11:30 am

Our newest MSP Jamie Greene has hit the ground running since he joined us last month. Since being appointed as Economy and Finance spokesperson by Alex Cole-Hamilton, he has been holding the SNP to account on such issues as their spectacular ferry failures.

He knocked it out of the park on Debate Night (BBC Scotland Question Time equivalent which, unlike its UK counterpart, you can often watch without losing the will to live) on Wednesday. Here he is challenging Labour’s Melanie Ward about Keir Starmer’s disgraceful language on immigration:

The SNP Government recently announced that it was lobbing its promise to legislate to ban conversion practices into the very long grass. This week, Jamie challenged them to let him take the Bill through Holyrood if they won’t.

He said:

All political parties promised to back change in the law in their 2021 Holyrood manifestos. The SNP made an explicit promise if they got into government to introduce this Bill and haven’t.

It’s no wonder political parties were banned from taking part in this year’s Pride events. Organisers say they are sick of warm words of encouragement to the LGBT+ community and want action.

It might be politically unappealing in an election year to have difficult conversations and debates of this nature, but backing down from promises and shying away from the argument is an insult to those affected by this abhorrent practice

I’ve made a simple offer to the SNP government: introduce the legislation this year, and if you can’t, or won’t, give the Bill to me and I will introduce it.

The only blockage now is the Scottish Government. So it’s over to them: do they say you support the LGBT community in words alone or will they take action?”

The text of Jamie’s letter to Equalities Minister, Kaukab Stewart, is as follows:

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Chris Ward

ALDC By-election Report, 15th May

By Chris Ward | Fri 16th May 2025 - 5:33 pm

This week saw 4 by-elections with 3 Liberal Democrat candidates – an improvement on last time these wards were up for election. These were two Labour defences, with one each defended by the Conservatives and the SNP.

The Lib Dems were new onto the ballot in Whetstone ward in Barnet, as Luigi Bille secured 6.1% of the vote in a crowded field. Thank you, Luigi, for entering us into the race!

Barnet London Borough Council, Whetstone
Labour: 965 (33.4%, -18.0)
Conservative: 818 (28.4%, -7.8)
Reform UK: 592 (20.5%, new)
Green Party: 208 (7.2%, -5.1)
Liberal Democrats (Luigi Bille): 176 (6.1%, new)
Rejoin EU: 65 (2.3%, new)
TUSC: 47 (1.6%, new)
Independent: 13 (0.5%, new)

Labour HOLD

 

Another place we were new onto the ballot was Clydebank Waterfront in West Dunbartonshire. Lib Dem candidate Cameron Stewart finished ahead of both the Conservatives and the Greens. Thank you, Cameron.

West Dunbartonshire Council, Clydebank Waterfront
SNP: 1039 (35.6%, -16.7)
Reform UK: 768 (26.3%, new)
Labour: 739 (25.3%, -12.1)
Liberal Democrats (Cameron Stewart): 138 (4.7%, new)
Conservative: 84 (2.9%, new)
Green Party: 76 (2.6%, new)
Alba: 47 (1.6%, new)
SFP: 25 (0.9%, -1.7)

SNP HOLD

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Mary Reid

Registration open for Conference – with new Day Passes

By Mary Reid | Fri 16th May 2025 - 2:42 pm

Registration has now opened for the Autumn Federal Conference which will be held in Bournemouth from 20th to 23rd September.

As usual Early Bird registration rates are available until 12th June. You can find all the categories and prices here.

There is one change this time which will benefit members who are unable to attend for the whole conference. A Day Pass will now entitle the member to vote and speak in debates. In the past Day Visitors were not allowed to vote, which always surprised me. Mind you, Day Passes are not cheap at £60, and you can only book one. If you want to attend for 2 or 3 days out of the four you should book a Weekend or a Full Pass.

Here are the deadlines for submitting motions for debate.

Drafting advice: 13:00, 11/06/2025
Motion deadline: 13:00, 25/06/2025
Drafting advice (amendments, emergency motions): 13:00, 26/08/25
Amendments, emergency motions, topical issues, questions deadline: 13:00, 08/09/25
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Mark Valladares

15 May 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 15th May 2025 - 10:55 pm
  • Lib Dems say shocking hospital wait stats should “shake us to our core”
  • GDP: Govt must now use UK-EU summit to boost growth
  • Sneaky Kemi needs to “take head out of the sand” on EU
  • Lib Dems move to quash sell-out law allowing foreign stakes in UK newspapers
  • Cole-Hamilton to First Minister: SNP have failed social care and NHS

Lib Dems say shocking hospital wait stats should “shake us to our core”

Responding to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine estimating that there were more than 16,600 deaths of patients linked to long waits in A&E for hospital beds last year, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said:

These figures should shake us to our core. People are dying needlessly in corridors and glorified cupboards as staff are stretched to breaking point, working in conditions that resembling the stuff on nightmares.

This is where we must draw a line in the sand. The Conservatives led us to this point – an NHS on its knees and countless preventable deaths – but it is up to this Government to make sure that this never happens again.

The Health Secretary must step up, free up much-needed hospital beds by overhauling social care as he has pledged to do and back our campaign to end corridor care by the end of this Parliament. That is what the public deserves.

GDP: Govt must now use UK-EU summit to boost growth

Responding to GDP growth of 0.2% for March and 0.7% over Q1 of 2025, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

This is positive news for the economy but this is no time for complacency.

These figures are from before the Chancellor’s jobs tax came into force and Trump’s trade war began.

The government needs to use the UK-EU summit on Monday to boost businesses and cut red tape, including by immediately starting talks on a bespoke customs union.

Sneaky Kemi needs to “take head out of the sand” on EU

Following Kemi Badenoch’s speech to the International Democracy Union, James MacCleary MP, Liberal Democrat Europe Spokesperson, said:

Kemi sneaking off to Brussels to talk down Britain: I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised. It’s a well-rehearsed act.

She’s wrong on Europe: standing stronger together with our EU allies makes us stronger at home, not weaker.

It’s time for Badenoch to take her head out of the sand and wake up to the huge potential for growth that a proper deal with the EU could unlock.

Lib Dems move to quash sell-out law allowing foreign stakes in UK newspapers

Following the revelation that the Labour Government will legislate to allow foreign states to own up to 15% of British newspapers, the Liberal Democrats will move to dismantle the new rules via a Fatal Motion – a rare parliamentary device that would permanently halt the law’s progression.

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    Vince Cable....Gordon Brown introduced formal fiscal rules in 1997 alongside the operational independence of the Bank of England: essentially, a commitment to b...
  • Nonconformistradical
    @Tristan Ward Instead of posting such a long link may I recommend the use of https://tinyurl.com/ ? Which reduced your huge link to https://tinyurl.com/eejs...
  • Tristan Ward
    "‘why can’t social care and NHS spending be treated as ‘investment’’. Of course, that wont wash". It might wash if such spending can wash its face....
  • Tristan Ward
    @ Peter Wrigley "Most of us could live very comfortably even if the government did take, say another 5%-10% of our incomes to repair the public realm" I p...
  • Tristan Ward
    @ Peter Wrigley "Somebody has to tell the truth: that we are not over-taxed, and that Inteligently directed taxation will not impede growth." That is not ...