Category Archives: News

Mark Valladares

8 January 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 8th January 2024 - 10:30 pm
  • Sunak Connect speech: “An arsonist offering to put out the fire”
  • Welsh Lib Dems demand action in South Wales fire service scandal

Sunak Connect speech: “An arsonist offering to put out the fire”

Responding to Rishi Sunak’s Connect speech in Lancashire this morning, where the Prime Minister urged voters to continue voting for his party, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said:

Rishi Sunak is like an arsonist offering to put out a fire. This mess is the fault of Conservative Prime Ministers crashing the economy, hiking taxes and letting the NHS crumble.

He is living on another planet. Just how out of touch is he? It’s clear now Rishi Sunak thinks everything is fine and nothing should change.

This chaotic Conservative government has had long enough to get their act together. Enough is enough.

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NewsHound

Liberal Democrats uncover nearly 4,000 cancer operations cancelled in past year

By NewsHound | Mon 8th January 2024 - 1:12 pm

Almost 4,000 cancer-related surgeries have been cancelled in the past year, an 8% rise on the previous year, shocking figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats have revealed.

The figures show that 3,947 cancer operations were cancelled in 2022/23, up from 3,662 the previous year. Of these, 304 were cancelled due to staff being unavailable or sick, 302 due to a lack of beds and 150 because of equipment issues. Over 13,000 cancer operations have been cancelled in the past four years, the research shows.

The figures were uncovered through Freedom of Information requests with data provided by 56 of 137 acute NHS trusts in England. meaning the true figure is likely to be far higher.

The Liberal Democrats said it was shocking that cancer patients were being so “catastrophically let down.” The party is calling for a new legal right for cancer patients to start treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral, as part of a plan to significantly improve cancer care and outcomes.

North Bristol cancelled 547 cancer operations in the past year, more than any other NHS trust in the country. This was followed by Medway NHS Foundation Trust (347), University Hospital Southampton (258) and the Isle of Wight NHS Trust (254).

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Caron Lindsay

Lib Dem PPC Caroline Voaden calls for “Rape” t-shirt to be withdrawn from sale

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 6th January 2024 - 7:51 pm

Lib Dem PPC Caroline Voaden noticed something horrible online today. One of those design your own t-shirt/hoodie/vest companies had allowed a t-shirt to appear on its website, selling for £18.18, which said, shockingly, Eat, Sleep, Rape, Repeat.

Caroline is a former CEO of Devon Rape Crisis and has called for this t-shirt to be withdrawn from sale.

If you are not on Twitter, you can email the company at [email protected]. I’ve done so, asking them to withdraw this vile product, apologise and put processes in place that stop such designs getting on to their website. Surely this must have been seen by a human at some stage. Why on earth did they not stop it. And if it wasn’t seen by a human, they need some quality control.

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Caron Lindsay

Free to good home – a Liberal treasure from 1969

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 3rd January 2024 - 2:42 pm

From a correspondent:

I have been having a clear-out of my shelves, and among the material which I am not going to keep is three issues of New Outlook – A Liberal Magazine from 1969. They may be of interest to some readers of LibDem Voice (not least, perhaps, for the nostalgic pleasure of reading thoughtful and respectful pieces from Conservative MPs John Biffen and John Hunt).
Free to a good home.
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NewsHound

Jamie Stone and Sarah Dyke share New Year’s Resolutions

By NewsHound | Tue 2nd January 2024 - 4:00 pm

Politics Home has been asking MPs to share their New Year’s Resolutions. Two Lib Dems responded.

Jamie Stone has pledged to offer a second constituency office in the town of Wick:

“After the boundary changes my constituency will be the biggest ever in the UK,” he said.

“Constituents deserve proper representation and support from their MPs and their teams, and that is why in the future there will be not one but two constituency offices in the northernmost mainland constituency in the UK.”

Sarah Dyke wants to “work even harder” on behalf of her constituents. She only officially entered Parliament in September and in just 3 months, she’s already spoken 36 times. That is an impressive start.

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In memoriam Dr Yeow Poon 17 Jan 1956 – 17 Dec 2023

By Chinese Liberal Democrats | Tue 2nd January 2024 - 11:44 am

I believe that when countries and people with different histories, philosophies, religions and cultures collaborate there can be mutual learning to enrich ourselves and develop innovative paradigms for meeting 21st Century challenges as humanity evolves.

Dr Yeow Poon

Dr Yeow Poon

It is with deep sadness that we wish to announce the passing of our Hon President Dr Yeow Poon after a two year battle against pancreatic cancer.  He was a giant of man and will be greatly missed by all, not least his colleagues and friends at Chinese Liberal Democrats.

Born in Malaysia, Dr Poon attended university in the UK and became naturalised as a British citizen. He was the Chair of the Chinese Community Centre – Birmingham, President of England China Business Forum, Chair of Arts in the Yard, Trustee of Chinese Welfare Trust and a core member of the Covid-19 Anti-Racism Group. He was the Business Desk Midlands Leadership Award Winner: Public and Third Sector Leader 2018.

As management consultant he worked primarily in the public and voluntary sectors, on public administration reform, capacity building, management and leadership development projects in the United Kingdom, Vietnam, China, LAO PDR, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, South Africa and Greece. He had particular interest in cross-culture-AI governance, leadership, management and organisation development issues.

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The Voice

Four Lib Dems honoured in New Year Honours List

By The Voice | Fri 29th December 2023 - 11:00 pm

We interrupt our festive break to bring you the happy news that the Liberal Democrats have seen three people honoured in the New Years Honours list.

Jude Godden has been awarded an MBE for her services to local politics, Gavin Stollar has been awarded an OBE for his work within the Jewish Community and Andrew Dixon was awarded an OBE for his work in tackling inequality and for his support to British entrepreneurs.

Jude Godden

Jude Godden has been serving her community for the past 20 years, first running adult education for a large rural area and delivering over 200 courses a year as well as delivering cardiac rehabilitation courses and then more recently, as Head of Casework for Tim Farron MP. During the years she has worked for Tim Farron’s office she has made a massive difference. She has been instrumental in investigating and exposing two major national health scandals by supporting whistleblowers to have their voices heard, one of which was featured on the BBC. She single-handedly repatriated 57 people when the pandemic hit from around the world by working day and night till they were safely home. Recently she has helped refugees who were struggling to get visas to leave Ukraine and faced deportation back to a war zone. Jude has successfully returned over a million pounds to constituents and has acted as an advocate for countless people to ensure social justice is delivered.

Ed Davey congratulated Jude on her MBE

My warmest congratulations to Jude Godden, who’s charitable spirit is so importantly recognised in today’s honours.

Jude is a carer for a family member, as well as a caseworker for Tim Farron and has served her local area tirelessly for over 20 years.

Everyone in the Liberal Democrats is so proud of Jude’s work and this well-deserved accomplishment.

Gavin Stollar

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The Voice

Alex Cole-Hamilton’s Christmas message

By The Voice | Sun 24th December 2023 - 7:30 pm

Alex Cole-Hamilton’s Christmas message is below:

Christmas is a time for reflection, and I think it’s important to look back on the long road travelled since last year.

Just twelve months ago Nicola Sturgeon was the most powerful figure in Scottish politics. Now her reputation lies in tatters.

The SNP in government are badly diminished by scandal, infighting and more than a decade of neglect of public services which has led to record NHS waiting lists and our schools slipping down the international rankings.

Twelve months ago the Conservatives were in utter chaos… so some things don’t change.

While the Conservatives and SNP flounder, Scottish Liberal Democrats have never shied away from making the case for action on the two biggest issues facing our country: the cost of living and the crisis in our NHS.

We have also led the way on other matters, offering considered and constructive solutions to the challenges facing our country.

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Caron Lindsay

Ed Davey’s Christmas message

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 23rd December 2023 - 10:30 pm

I know we said we were disappearing until after the New Year,  but we thought you would like to see Ed Davey’s Christmas Message.

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Charles Quinn

ALDC by-election review for 2023

By Charles Quinn | Fri 22nd December 2023 - 7:32 pm

The final council by-election results of 2023 have been declared. We can look back on a brilliant, and historic year, of Liberal Democrat performances!

In total there were 197 principal council by-elections contested in 2023. The Liberal Democrats won 51 of these elections. Of these 26 were Lib Dem gains from other parties or independents.

That means, of all principal council by-elections in 2023, over a quarter resulted in a Lib Dem win – and one in eight resulted in a Lib Dem gain!

In total we made a net gain of 26 council seats in by-elections and countermanded elections over the course of the year. This is our joint third best performance since the merger in 1988 and comfortably the best of any party this year.

By contrast the Green Party had a net gain of 8, Labour had a net gain of 7, the SNP and Plaid were down a combined 6 seats and the Conservatives were down a net 31 councillors!

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Charles Quinn

ALDC by-election report, 21st December

By Charles Quinn | Fri 22nd December 2023 - 5:28 pm

We finished an outstanding year for Council by-elections on a high this week. We won 2 of the 3 contests and put in a great showing in the third – moving forwards in our vote share everywhere.

There were 2 by-elections in Leicestershire. Firstly on Leicestershire CC we held Blaby and Glen Parva ward (which had previously been won by a Liberal Democrat who became an independent before resigning). Congratulations to Councillor Sue Jordan and the team on holding the seat, and doing so by increasing our vote by 12.5% and increasing our majority to over 650!

Leicestershire CC, Blaby and Glen Parva
Liberal Democrats (Sue Jorden): 989 (61.2%, +12.5%)
Conservative: 320 (19.8%, -13.7%)
Labour: 190 (11.8%, +1.8%)
Green Party: 116 (7.2%, -0.5%)

In the corresponding vacancy on Blaby DC we also held the seat of Glen Parva ward with an increased vote share. Congratulations to Councillor Andrew Savage and the team on winning over 60% of the vote and increasing the Lib Dem vote by 5.4%.

Blaby DC, Glan Parva
Liberal Democrats (Andrew Savage): 438 (60.6%, +5.4%)
Conservative: 140 (19.4%, -3.7%)
Labour: 102 (14.1%, new)
Green Party: 43 (6.0%, new)

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The Voice

‘I’m worried that if it’s not the bullets that kill them, it will be the lack of water,’ says Layla Moran of civilians trapped in Gaza church

By The Voice | Tue 19th December 2023 - 9:06 am

Layla Moran appeared on Channel 4 News last night. “(She said) her relatives are among hundreds of civilians trapped in a Catholic Church in Gaza City as Israeli forces operate nearby.

Over the weekend, the Catholic authority in the region claimed that two women were killed by Israeli snipers inside the Holy Family Parish compound. Israel has denied targeting the church.”

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Caron Lindsay

Layla Moran talks about her family who are trapped in Gaza Church

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 16th December 2023 - 10:13 pm

Layla Moran has been talking to the BBC about the plight of her family members, who remain trapped in a Catholic Church in Gaza. One family member died last month and her fear for the others is clear.

The Liberal Democrat says her family are “days away from dying” without access to water or food.

Her relatives and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem say a mother and daughter were killed inside the Holy Family Church complex on Saturday by sniper fire.

Members of Ms Moran’s extended family – a grandmother, her son, his wife and their 11-year-old twins – are Christian Palestinians who sought refuge inside the church after their home was bombed in the first week of the war.

They have been staying on mattresses along with dozens of others in rooms in the Holy Family Church for more than 60 days.

“I’m now no longer sure they are going to survive until Christmas,” Ms Moran told the BBC.

The conditions sound horrific and terrifying:

The five remaining members say they now no longer have access to food or water, and the last remaining generator – which was pumping water from wherever they could get it – has stopped working in the church.

They say soldiers entered the church compound in the last 24 hours and took over a room in a building.

Earlier in the week, the family heard shots being fired and saw bullet casings in the church compound. They say two men were killed on Tuesday while they were coming and going from the building – a bin collector and a janitor.

Layla said there was no indication why the church had been targeted:

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Charles Quinn

ALDC by-Election Report, 14th December

By Charles Quinn | Fri 15th December 2023 - 6:26 pm

We continued our incredible end of the year with one of the best weeks for local council by-election results that we have ever celebrated.

7 principal council seats were being contested across 6 wards this weeks – and we won 5 of them! This included 3 Lib Dem holds and 2 Lib Dem gains. Even the two seats that we didn’t win saw us miss out only very narrowly with a great improvement in our result from last time. There are so many fantastic results to delve into it is difficult to know where to start!

The first of our gains came on North Kesteven DC in Billinghay Rural ward, where newly elected Councillor Adrian Whittle beat the Conservatives by securing over 41% of the vote. This is a great achievement as we did not stand a candidate in the most recent election in this ward. Indeed nobody did as the Conservatives were uncontested here in 2023. This time round with a Lib Dem on the ballot paper we have pulled off a fantastic gain and elected our first Lib Dem councillor to North Kesteven District. Congratulations once again to Cllr Whittle and North Kesteven Lib Dems.

North Kesteven DC, Billinghay Rural
Liberal Democrats (Adrian Whittle): 354 (41.1%, new)
Conservative: 254 (29.5%)
Lincolnshire Independents: 225 (26.1%, new)
Independent: 29 (3.4%, new)

Our other gain came on Rugby BC in Dunsmore ward. There was a double vacancy in this ward caused by two Conservative resignations. Congratulations to Councillor Jonathan Bennett for gaining the top seat from the Conservatives as the Lib Dems topped the poll with 38% of the vote. The second seat was retained by the Conservatives – but well done to our candidate Trisha Trimble who finished so close with 548 votes (just 41 votes off taking the second seat). A brilliant performance all round. Congratulations to the team in Rugby.

Rugby BC, Dunsmore
Liberal Democrats (Jonathan Bennett): 613 (38%, +17.7% LD total)
Conservative: 588 (36.4%, -8.4% Con total)
Conservative: 557 (36.4%, -8.4% Con total)
Liberal Democrats (Trisha Trimble): 548 (38%, +17.7% LD total)
Labour: 299 (18.5%, -7.7% Lab total)
Labour: 256 (18.5%, -7.7% Lab total)
Green Party: 145 (9%, -7.7% Green total)
Green Party: 89 (9%, -7.7% Green total)

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Caron Lindsay

Lib Dems oppose “moral vacuum” Rwanda Bill

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 13th December 2023 - 10:22 am

When there has been so much discussion around the party’s messaging and whether it showcases our values enough recently, it is a relief to see our parliamentarians speak out so strongly against the bizarrely named Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill as though just writing something down makes it so.

Alistair Carmichael described the Bill as showing a “grim and illiberal mentality” and would replace our asylum system with a moral vacuum. Here’s his whole speech:

I say sincerely that it is a genuine pleasure to follow the right hon. and learned Member for South Swindon (Sir Robert Buckland). He gave a characteristically thoughtful speech for Second Reading and, more interestingly, laid down several markers for future stages, should we get to that point. This is a most interesting and unusual Second Reading debate; we are seeing played out in front of us a tripartite discussion between one side of the Government, another side of the Government and the Treasury Bench. It is a remarkable spectacle to observe, albeit not a particularly seemly one.

I was struck by the reliance that the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Sir Robert Neill) placed on the references made by the right hon. and learned Member for Torridge and West Devon (Sir Geoffrey Cox) to proceedings in relation to the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc. ) Act 2004. As the right hon. and learned Gentleman observed, that was where the concept of safe countries was introduced. The list of safe countries included all the EU countries except Croatia, plus Norway, Iceland and later Switzerland. It was another piece of legislation that restricted the access of rights to appeal for those whose asylum claims had been unsuccessful. There are perhaps lessons to be learned for us all in how that line of legislation has developed ever since.

The enduring lesson I take is not that that Act was introduced by a Labour Government—a Government that had David Blunkett as Home Secretary—but that the Bill was opposed, with some controversy at the time, by the then Conservative Opposition. They described it as “clumsy and draconian”. They were absolutely right about that and, many years later, we can see exactly where that sort of legislation has taken us. What is it about the Conservative party of 2023 that now finds that sort of legislation so attractive?

Let us not forget that we are dealing with the consequence of the refusal of this Government to prosecute the case for safe and legal routes. Why do we not find people from Ukraine or Hong Kong trying to cross the channel in small boats? It is because we offer them safe and legal routes. The Rwanda scheme is unworkable—we know that because it has never been made to work—and the barriers are well rehearsed, but every time they are thwarted, the response of this Government is to throw a foot-stamping tantrum. Anyone who ever had any doubt about the depth and scale of Tory self-entitlement can see it laid bare here today. The Bill is not about making the system work or providing an effective deterrent; it is simply about trying to bring together a disparate range of forces within their own party.

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Charles Quinn

ALDC By-Election Report, 7th December

By Charles Quinn | Fri 8th December 2023 - 6:17 pm

The Lib Dems continued our fantastic end to the year with 3 more principal council by-election wins this week. A total of 5 principal by-elections were contested.

All 3 wins came in the East of England. We start on Hertfordshire County Council and a stunning result in Harpenden Rural ward which newly elected Lib Dem councillor Allison Wren gained from the Conservatives with a 33% increase in share of the vote (and over 58% of the vote overall). This gain puts the Lib Dems on 24 net gains in council by-elections this year. Triple that of the Green Party in second place!

Congratulations to Cllr Wren and Hertfordshire Lib Dems on a brilliant win.

Hertfordshire CC, Harpenden Rural
Liberal Democrats (Allison Wren): 1474 (58.3%, +33%)
Conservative: 766 (30.3%, -26.8%)
Labour: 168 (6.6%, -4.1%)
Green Party: 119 (4.7%, -2.2%)

On St Albans DC we also held Sandridge and Wheathampstead ward with over 55% of the vote and 7% vote-share increase on last time. Congratulations to Cllr Simon Johns and the team in St Albans on a great win.

St Albans DC, Sandridge and Wheathampstead
Liberal Democrats (Simon Johns): 793 (55.9%,+7.1%)
Conservative: 480 (33.8%, -4.8%)
Green Party: 78 (5.5%, -1.2%)
Labour: 68 (4.8%, -1.2%)

Our other win of the night came on North Norfolk DC in Briston ward. Congratulations to Cllr Andrew Fletcher and the local team who held the ward for the Lib Dems with just shy of 50% of the total vote.

North Norfolk DC, Briston
Liberal Democrats (Andrew Fletcher): 342 (49%, -2.5%)
Conservative: 274 (39%, -1.5%)
Green Party: 64 (9%, new)
Labour: 15 (2%, -5.9%)

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The Voice

Ed Davey’s message for Hanukkah

By The Voice | Fri 8th December 2023 - 9:16 am

Here is Ed Davey’s message for Hanukkah, wishing Jewish people a happy and peaceful time and referring to the exceptionally tough last couple of months. The Liberal Democrats, he said, are your friends.

On the party website, he wrote:

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The Voice

Earl Russell highlights lack of mental health support for children and young people

By The Voice | Thu 7th December 2023 - 9:00 am

Improving mental health has been a priority for the Liberal Democrats long before it was fashionable.

Our elected representatives at every level raise it whenever they can. Norman Lamb as health minister did so much to improve access to services but it’s been a long 8 years since he was in office.

Recently, our Earl Russell secured a debate in the House of Lords to highlight how appalling provision is for children and young people. Waiting times are horrendous. Imagine the impact on your education if you have to wait a year to even be seen. It’s then a long recovery and before you know it, that’s half your secondary education gone. And imagine the suffering if, like too many, CAMHS won’t even accept your referral.

For parents and carers, watching their young person struggle is one of the worst things to endure. And the anxiety of wondering if they will still be there in the morning, every day, takes its toll.

The debate is covered here on Today in Parliament, from about 20:10 in, and below are Earl Russell’s speeches. We’ll cover the contributions by Richard Allan, Claire Tyler and Mike Storey tomorrow.

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Caron Lindsay

Congratulations to Mick and Joye!

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 6th December 2023 - 2:41 pm

Last weekend I went to Cambridge for a very special event – the wedding of two Lib Dem legends, Mick Taylor and Joye Rosenstiel. Mick is a former Calderdale Councillor and has been a parliamentary candidate in Calder Valley and in other seats in the North West. He’s a great friend of the site and a regular contributor in our comments. Joye was a Councillor in Cambridge for 26 years and Mayor from 1994-95. She has also been Church Warden of Great St Mary’s Church in central Cambridge.

The wedding was a wonderfully relaxed and happy event. There were two ceremonies. They were legally married in a Quaker ceremony. I’d never been to a Quaker wedding before, and I loved the way it combined due solemnity and tradition with equality and the ability of everyone to contribute. In a Quaker wedding, there is no person up the front marrying the couple. They marry each other and everyone present signs the wedding certificate – even children are allowed to if they were awake during the proceedings.  This tradition comes from the 16th century – the long list of witnesses were presented as evidence to the authorities to ensure that the marriage was legally recognised.

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NewsHound

Mark Pack hits back at activists who called for bolder, distinctive offer to voters

By NewsHound | Wed 6th December 2023 - 1:26 pm

Last week we brought you news that 30 senior Liberal Democrats had written to the Guardian to say that the party should have a bolder, more distinctive offer to voters.

It’s only fair that we bring you the party president’s letter to the Guardian, defending the party against these claims. Mark Pack said:

Far from being too cautious, the Liberal Democrats under Ed Davey have shown incredible boldness (Lib Dems are being too cautious, say senior party members, 29 November). We are the only party committed to 0.7% on international aid, to proportional representation and to combating climate change. Above all, we are the only party to have a real plan to transform our broken relationship with Europe.

With Ed Davey as leader, our plan to get this Conservative government out of power is working, the team is united and we are winning again. Since 2020, we have taken the fight to the Conservatives – in record-breaking byelections in former safe seats from Buckinghamshire to Shropshire. We have added swathes of councillors across the country. The Liberal Democrats are the only party that wants to radically change the system from vested powers to fairer votes. We can only achieve this change through winning elections, with more MPs, more councillors, more assembly members in Wales and more MSPs in Scotland.

However, two other letters from Liberal Democrats on the same day had a different view:

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The Voice

COVID inquiry: Strip Johnson of allowance and bar him from future honours

By The Voice | Sun 3rd December 2023 - 7:00 am

The Lib Dems have called on Rishi Sunak to strip Boris Johnson of his £115,000 a year ex-Prime Ministerial allowance and for the disgraced former PM to be barred from receiving future honours or a peerage.

It comes ahead of Johnson’s scheduled appearance at the Covid inquiry next week.

The inquiry has already heard evidence that the response to the pandemic under Johnson’s government was chaotic and filled with a callous disregard for the lives of the elderly. Boris Johnson’s former Chief of Staff, Lord Lister, told the inquiry that the ex-PM said “let the bodies pile high” when presented with the prospect of a circuit breaker lockdown in September 2020.

The Liberal Democrats are putting pressure on Rishi Sunak to strip Johnson of his up to £115,000 a year allowance as a former Prime Minister. The party is also calling on Sunak to rule out giving Johnson an honour or peerage in future honours lists. It comes after Sunak gave a peerage to former Prime Minister David Cameron so he could rejoin the cabinet.

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The Liberator Collective

New issue of Liberator out

By The Liberator Collective | Sat 2nd December 2023 - 11:00 am

It’s not often Liberator has a “hold the front page” moment but we did to briefly fit in something on the Guardian letter about party strategy and Ed Davey’s reaction to the 30 signatories, including by all accounts dissent at the Federal Policy Committee.

Find out the news in Radical Bulletin and the thoughts of Lord Bonkers, and this is what is in Liberator 420, which you can download for free here.

You can sign up to be emailed when each new Liberator comes out.

FOUR DAYS GOOD.

What is the Government scared of in Lib Dem South Cambridgeshire’s trial of four-day working, wonders council leader Bridget Smith

HYPOCRISY REIGNS IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

Rebecca Tinsley wonders why mass killings in Sudan lack the attention focused on Gaza

A RAPID AND UNCONTROLLED DISASSEMBLY OF GOVERNMENT

Suella Braverman’s campaign against rough sleepers was enough to put J Frasier Hewitt off breakfast, and the rest of the Government looks hopeless to a former Tory too

RUNNING UP THE DOWN ESCALATOR

Mid Bedfordshire showed the Liberal Democrats how not to campaign, but Michael Meadowcroft sees a lesson form Poland in how to effectively take on nationalism and populism

AND SO TO MID BEDS

The failure in Mid Bedfordshire holds three lessons the Liberal Democrats should have the wisdom to learn from, says Roger Hayes

A LONG ROAD HOME

Getting the UK back into the European Union can only be a long-term goal, though one helped by Brexit’s manifest failings, says Nick Harvey

A FEW MORE BRICKS IN THE WALLS

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The Voice

Ed Davey tackles PM on hospital delays

By The Voice | Wed 29th November 2023 - 4:25 pm

Ed Davey used his question to the Prime Minister today to highlight hold-ups in the building of the mythical 40 new hospitals promised in the Government’s 2019 manifesto. Especially as the National Audit Office thinks it won’t meet that commitment.

Ed said:

Three years ago, the Government made a commitment to 40 new hospitals and significant upgrades to hospitals in most need, but today many schemes are badly delayed. The Royal Berkshire—stuck at the development stage, with not a single pound transferred for construction. Harrogate District Hospital—still waiting on £20 million for urgent upgrades after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete was

…

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Charles Quinn

ALDC’s by-election report -23 November 2023

By Charles Quinn | Fri 24th November 2023 - 7:46 pm

It has been a relatively quiet week for principal council by-elections – but a very successful one for the Lib Dems. Of the 3 elections held we won 2 of them! With one hold and one gain we are the undisputable winners this week!

The first election was held on Wednesday on Powys County Council in Wales in Talybont-on-Usk ward. Congratulations to Councillor Raith Devlin and the team in Powys on

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Mark Valladares

23 November 2023 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 23rd November 2023 - 11:30 pm
  • Autumn Statement: NHS budget slashed by £5bn next year
  • Net migration figures: Conservatives need to accept that their approach isn’t working
  • Welsh Lib Dems leader calls for funding of the arts in Wales

Autumn Statement: NHS budget slashed by £5bn next year

The Conservative Government is cutting annual NHS spending by almost £5 billion in real-terms, figures buried in the small print of today’s Autumn Statement have revealed.

Jeremy Hunt has cut day-to-day spending in cash terms for NHS England in 2024-25 from £165.9bn in his March Budget to £162.5bn in the Autumn Statement, a cut of £3.4 billion.

In real-terms, that will leave the NHS budget £4.7 billion (2.9%) lower compared to 2022-23. It comes despite the Conservative government handing £3.8bn a year of tax cuts to the banks.

Jeremy Hunt also failed to mention GPs, dentists or ambulances once in his Autumn Statement today, despite the crisis facing patients and local health services across the country.

Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Sarah Olney MP:

It beggars belief that this Conservative government is slashing funding for the NHS while giving billions of pounds of tax giveaways to the banks. It just shows they have got their priorities completely wrong.

Jeremy Hunt failed to mention GPs, dentists or ambulances once in his Autumn Statement, showing just how out of touch he is.

Patients around the country are waiting months in pain for treatment and weeks to get an appointment with their GP. You can’t fix the damage the Conservative Party has done to our economy without fixing the damage they have done to our NHS.

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Caron Lindsay

Channel 4 highlights human rights concerns of Caithness women facing 2.5 hour journey to give birth

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 23rd November 2023 - 6:53 am

The A9 from Wick and Thurso to Inverness is a long road, even at the best of times.

I’ve travelled it in all weathers. In the Summer of 1980 as my parents went to the Royal Garden Party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. In the depths of an icy 1984 Winter to my Grandma’s funeral in Inverness.

Even though they have made the hairpin bend on the Berriedale Braes a bit easier and the Dornoch Bridge has cut off a good half hour from the journey, it’s still a long and twisty road.

Definitely not one you would want to be driving along in any stage of labour.

I had to travel about 12 miles by car in the early stages of labour and I can promise you not one bit of that was pleasant. I could not contemplate the thought of setting off from Wick to Inverness at a windy 4 am. And let me tell you the wind in Caithness is a special thing, a lazy wind as an elderly friend of the family used to call it because it went right through you rather than go round you.

But that’s exactly what women in Caithness have had to face ever since the maternity unit at Caithness General Hospital in Wick was downgraded to midwife led in 2016. The alternative to the long drive in labour is being sent to Raigmore to be induced 2 weeks before your due date. And of course induction leads to more intervention than might have been necessary. Imagine the return trip when you’ve just had a caesarean section or a lot of stitches. If you are not wincing at that thought, I have no words.

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Mark Valladares

22 November 2023 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 22nd November 2023 - 10:30 pm
  • Cameron HMRC scrutiny: Zahawi scandal mark two
  • Autumn Statement a deception after years of Conservative tax hikes
  • Ed Davey slams “Hunt hoax” over £200bn stealth tax grab
  • Welsh Lib Dems urge Welsh Gov to make sure that building remediation costs aren’t being forced on residents
  • Conservative giveaway to big banks set to cost taxpayers £22 billion

Cameron HMRC scrutiny: Zahawi scandal mark two

The Liberal Democrats are calling for an ethics advisor probe after reports that David Cameron is being looked into by HMRC.

The party said it is important to know whether this reported scrutiny was disclosed when Rishi Sunak appointed him to the Lords and throughout the vetting process.

Liberal Democrat Chief Whip, Wendy Chamberlain MP said:

This looks like the Zahawi scandal mark two. Yet again, it appears Sunak has appointed a cabinet minister being looked into by HMRC.

The Prime Minister must ask the ethics advisor to investigate these reports as a matter of urgency. Serious questions need answering over whether this reported HMRC scrutiny was disclosed as part of the appointment and vetting process for Cameron’s seat in the Lords, and whether Sunak was aware when he appointed him.

Far from looking to kick sleaze out of the Cabinet, the Prime Minister seems to have sought to bring even more in from the outside.

Autumn Statement a deception after years of Conservative tax hikes

Responding to the Autumn Statement, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Sarah Olney MP said:

This is a deception from Jeremy Hunt after years of cruel tax hikes on hard-working families from this government.

Conservative chaos has sent mortgages and tax bills soaring, today’s announcements won’t even touch the sides.

Worse still was the deafening silence on health. These dismal forecasts show the economy is on life support and reducing NHS waiting lists is the shot in the arm needed.

It is a no-brainer that we need people off waiting lists and back to work, yet this Conservative government simply doesn’t care.

Today has been more stale nonsense from a Conservative government out of touch and out of ideas.

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Caron Lindsay

Lib Dems react to the Autumn Statement

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 22nd November 2023 - 3:41 pm

So, April election anyone?

The Autumn Statement is a deceptively feelgood package of giveaways in which the already rich benefit most whether businesses or people and the really poor suffer more. Want to take a guess which group is more likely to vote Conservative. Jeremy Hunt has produced a cynical Statement that is all about the Conservative Party with no regard to what the country actually needs.

Will this attempt to pull the wool over people’s eyes and pretend the past 7 years of hell didn’t happen work? Surely people’s memories are longer than that.

Underneath it all, the growth projections for the economy are terrible for the next couple of years. While the US, with all the fiscal stimulus Joe Biden has thrown at it, is doing pretty well.

Sarah Olney, our Treasury spokesperson, was unimpressed:

This is a deception from Jeremy Hunt after years of cruel tax hikes on hard-working families from this government.

Conservative chaos has sent mortgages and tax bills soaring, today’s announcements won’t even touch the sides.

Worse still was the deafening silence on health. These dismal forecasts show the economy is on life support and reducing NHS waiting lists is the shot in the arm needed.

It is a no-brainer that we need people off waiting lists and back to work, yet this Conservative government simply doesn’t care.

Today has been more stale nonsense from a Conservative government out of touch and out of ideas.

Ed Davey points out that for all the gimmicks in the Budget, people are still worse off because of the freezing of tax rates. The Hunt Hoax he calls it:

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Caron Lindsay

Jane Dodds sets out Welsh Lib Dem priorities ahead of Autumn Statement

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 22nd November 2023 - 10:00 am

Yesterday, the Government doubled election campaign expense limits.

Today, they deliver an Autumn Statement which is expected to benefit their rich friends at the expense of the most vulnerable people in our society.

Funny, that.

Tax cuts for the rich, benefit cuts for the poor. It’s what they do, but it gets more and more sickening and causes so much more suffering every time they do it. The so called safety net barely exists any more.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds has been setting out the priorities of the Party in Wales ahead of today’s Autumn Statement:

-Invest in our NHS, with a specific focus on providing funding for desperately needed dentistry services across Wales to cut down on waiting lists. Whilst also giving more school children access to preventative treatment through Design to Smile.

-Invest in our future by giving desperately needed funds to schools to tackle the school funding crisis so that they can help support children from low-income families to succeed and access vital resources.

-Invest in our economy by reducing business rates for small businesses through 2024-25.

-Support people with the cost of living by taking direct action in supporting people struggling to keep a roof over their head by providing further financial support.

The party lashed out at the UK Conservative party for their systematic mismanagement of the economy that has dragged Wales down , while simultaneously demonising those who need the most support by threatening to remove desperately needed services to the sick and vulnerable.

Jane said:

In the wake of the upcoming Autumn statement, we as a party have laid down what we want to see prioritised for Wales.

In a nutshell, we want to see investment. We want to see investment in our NHS, investment in our economy and an investment in our future.

Our NHS is in a dire state here in Wales, particularly in regard to our dentistry services. We must focus on providing funding for desperately needed dentistry services so that we can cut down on waiting lists.

We also need to invest in our economy by slashing rates for small businesses while at the same time ensuring that our schools are receiving funds that go directly to supporting children from low-income families.

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The Voice

Carmichael warns about increases in helicopter response times

By The Voice | Wed 22nd November 2023 - 9:09 am

If you regularly face danger at sea, the last thing you will want to hear is that the Government plans to quadruple helicopter response times.

Alistair Carmichael seeks answers from the Government as he holds a parliamentary debate on the future of coastguard services in Parliament.

The debate follows revelations about the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s plans to quadruple the emergency response time for the helicopter service based at Sumburgh in Alistair’s Shetland constituency from 15 minutes to 60 minutes.

The MCA previously “clarified” that the current “readiness” state of 15 minutes is due to remain in place until at least October 2026 — but “discussions relating to readiness states beyond this date are ongoing.” Following further meetings, however, it has emerged that the MCA has already signed a new contract for the future of the Sumburgh service.

Other concerns have been raised that the new service will only run one type of helicopter, raising issues with resilience should a model be grounded. Mr Carmichael has called on the MCA and the Department for Transport to release the full documents relating to the proposals.

Ahead of the debate, Alistair said:

Reports that there were discussions under way in the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to cut back on the helicopter provision from Sumburgh were bad enough. It has now emerged, however, that the “discussions” are effectively already over – as a contract was signed months ago.

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