Category Archives: News

Mark Valladares

10 March 2023 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 10th March 2023 - 10:30 pm
  • ONS: Economy still suffering consequences of Conservatives
  • BP boss pay doubles: Sunak must bring in bonus tax now
  • Lineker: Today is a reminder that we need a properly independent BBC
  • Lee Waters must apologise to Welsh nurses

ONS: Economy still suffering consequences of Conservatives

Responding to the latest ONS GDP figures from January 2023, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Sarah Olney MP said:

These disappointing figures are yet another reminder that our economy is suffering under this Conservative Government, and people are feeling this under-performance in their own pockets.

The Conservative party has broken this country’s economy with record energy bills, rising food prices and soaring mortgage costs. Yet they are completely out of touch with people’s worries.

The Chancellor needs to take action in next week’s Budget by cutting people’s energy bills by £500, and putting in place a proper plan to get our economy growing fairly and sustainably.

BP boss pay doubles: Sunak must bring in bonus tax now

The Liberal Democrats have demanded that the government bring in a tax on the bonuses of oil and gas company bosses, following the news that the chief executive of BP’s pay doubled to £10m.

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Mark Valladares

9 March 2023 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 9th March 2023 - 10:50 pm
  • Davey: Shell boss £10m pay packet shows need for “bonanza bonus” tax
  • HS2 Delay Must Trigger Barnett Consequential Funding for Wales

Davey: Shell boss £10m pay packet shows need for “bonanza bonus” tax

The Liberal Democrats have reiterated their calls for a tax on the bonuses of oil and gas company bosses, following the news that the former chief executive of Shell’s pay rose more than 50% to nearly £10m in 2022.

Shell announced today that former chief executive Ben van Beurden received a bonus of £2.6m in 2022, up from £2.2m the previous year. Under Liberal Democrat plans, this would be taxed at …

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Mark Valladares

Coram Childcare Survey: Time to invest properly in our children’s future

By Mark Valladares | Thu 9th March 2023 - 7:15 am

In response to the Coram Family and Childcare annual survey which showed an increase of 5.6% in part-time childcare costs and 7% fewer local areas reporting sufficient childcare places for children under two, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Munira Wilson said:

The huge increase in costs of childcare is hitting cash-strapped young families who are already facing a cost of living crisis.

The UK already has some of the highest childcare costs in the world. Parents up and down the country are struggling to afford their nursery fees, while for others the crippling costs of childcare mean they simply can’t afford to

…

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Mark Valladares

8 March 2023 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 8th March 2023 - 10:30 pm
  • Braverman’s dangerous rhetoric trashes Britain’s proud legacy
  • Ed Davey raises deadly ambulance delays at PMQs
  • Suella Braverman: Lib Dems demand inquiry into potential breach of ministerial code
  • Steve Brine must stand down from Health Select Committee amid sleaze scandal

Braverman’s dangerous rhetoric trashes Britain’s proud legacy

Responding to comments made by the Home Secretary this morning on the government’s small boats proposals, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said:

Suella Braverman can’t even answer basic questions about her flawed, callous and inhumane policy.

To suggest that those who oppose these divisive plans are somehow betraying Britain is stooping to a new low. It is

…

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Caron Lindsay

Christine Jardine tables Bill to tackle online abuse of women

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 8th March 2023 - 3:15 pm

Christine Jardine tabled a Bill aimed at forcing social media companies to report on the action they are taking to tackle online abuse of women.

From the Edinburgh Reporter:

Ms Jardine called the UK Government’s lack of action on the issue “a dereliction of duty”.

She said: “Social media has made it much easier for people to discuss key issues, but too often debates become toxic, with women bearing the brunt of abusive comments.

“I know from my own experience that social media can turn quickly nasty and have faced waves of personal abuse throughout my time as an MP.

“We must also remember that women from an ethnic minority background, or women with a disability faced much more targeted abuse because of their identity.

“It is outrageous that the Conservative Government’s flagship Bill covering online harms does not mention women even once. This is a total dereliction of their duty to protect all women and girls.

“That is why I have brought this Bill to Parliament, so no woman is left abandoned to the wild west of online abuse any longer.”

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The Voice

Ed Davey asks Prime Minister for apology on ambulance delays after woman’s death

By The Voice | Wed 8th March 2023 - 1:19 pm

At PMQs today, Ed Davey told the devastating story of an elderly woman Jean, who dialled 999 only to be told it would be an eight hour wait for an ambulance to arrive. Jean was forced to drive herself to Eastbourne District General Hospital, where she collapsed in A&E and died an hour later.

He asked the Prime Minister to apologise to Jean’s family and all those who have lost loved ones amid a crisis in ambulance services in the South East and across the country.

The text is below:

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NewsHound

Ed Davey: International Women’s Day is a chance to reflect

By NewsHound | Wed 8th March 2023 - 7:00 am

Speaking ahead of International Women’s Day, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:

International Women’s Day is a chance to celebrate women, honour their achievements, and reflect on where we still need to go.

Our country has taken many important steps towards achieving gender equality and I’m proud of the role the Liberal Democrats have played in delivering that progress.

This year, I will be celebrating so many incredible women – who have brought us this far; who work tirelessly for equality; and who will take us even further in the years to come.

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Mark Valladares

7 March 2023 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 7th March 2023 - 10:55 pm
  • Sunak should rule out ever restoring Hancock’s Conservative whip
  • Small boats ‘vanity project’ bill trashes UK’s reputation

Sunak should rule out ever restoring Hancock’s Conservative whip

The Liberal Democrats are calling on Rishi Sunak to rule out ever restoring Matt Hancock’s Conservative Whip after the latest set of leaked WhatsApp messages. The messages show Hancock threatening to block a disability centre in a Conservative MP’s seat in an attempt to force him to vote for the new Covid tier system.

This is yet another shocking revelation from the Lockdown Files which raises even more concerns about Matt Hancock’s integrity and …

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Mark Valladares

6 March 2023 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 6th March 2023 - 10:30 pm
  • Sunak must veto Johnson honours list
  • 97% of NHS trusts are missing cancer treatment targets in “shocking gap in care”

Sunak must veto Johnson honours list

Responding to reports in The Times that Boris Johnson has nominated his father for a Knighthood in his Resignation Honours list, Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain MP said:

The Conservative party is rewarding Boris Johnson’s failure, lies and corruption. If future Honours Lists are to have any shred of credibility, Sunak must step in and veto this list.

Honours should be reserved for those who’ve gone above and beyond to contribute to our country. Boris Johnson’s attempt to bestow that recognition on his father makes a mockery of the whole thing.

This nepotism from the former Prime Minister isn’t new, he successfully secured a position in the House of Lords for his brother, now he’s trying to get similar VIP treatment for his father.

A Prime Minister who was found guilty of breaking the law while holding office doesn’t deserve an honours list with one name, let alone with over 100.

97% of NHS trusts are missing cancer treatment targets in “shocking gap in care”

Only 3% of NHS trusts met a crucial cancer treatment target last year, down from one in two in 2015, distressing new research from the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

The House of Commons Library data analysis looks at the number of trusts meeting a key target for 85% of patients to receive their first cancer treatment within 62 days of an urgent GP referral.

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Mark Valladares

Liberal Democrat European Group endorses Tom Brake for Chair of European Movement

By Mark Valladares | Mon 6th March 2023 - 10:22 am

Following the somewhat divisive reign of Lord Andrew Adonis as Chair of the European Movement, an election contest is underway to replace him. There are three candidates, who may be more or less familiar to Liberal Democrat Voice readers:

  • Tom Brake
  • Mike Galsworthy
  • Patience Wheatcroft

Unsurprisingly, perhaps, there’s plenty of buzz in Liberal Democrat circles in support of Tom, who’s certainly been busy since he narrowly lost Carshalton and Wallington in 2019 (despite actually increasing his share of the vote). He became the Director of Unlock Democracy (a fine organisation) in 2020 and has been campaigning strongly for reform of our political system …

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Mark Valladares

4-5 March 2023 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 5th March 2023 - 10:30 pm
  • Rail fare rise: Betrayal of commuters and families
  • Lockdown files: Matt Hancock’s attempt to fire SAGE scientist ‘shocking’
  • Small boat ban will punish victims of human trafficking

Rail fare rise: Betrayal of commuters and families

Responding to a rail fare increase of 5.9% due on Sunday, Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson Wera Hobhouse MP said:

Liberal Democrats are fighting for a fair deal for commuters and families who will be left forking out even more for train journeys in the middle of a cost of living crisis.

Ministers cannot keep turning a blind eye to these problems, especially given people are paying more for

…

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The Voice

Willie Rennie gets commitment from Sturgeon on tackling violence in schools

By The Voice | Sun 5th March 2023 - 1:15 pm

Following on from his article calling for action on violence in schools, Willie Rennie asked the First Minister for action this week. In her positive response, she paid tribute not once but twice to the work Willie has done on this issue and on mental health.

The text is below:

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Caron Lindsay

LISTEN: Wendy Chamberlain on Any Questions

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 4th March 2023 - 12:57 pm

Wendy Chamberlain’s appearance on Any Questions last night was her first and she did a marvellous job, getting cheers and approval from the audience pretty much every time she opened her mouth. And she didn’t dodge the controversial issues.

I agree with her a lot because I think she is one of the wisest people I know, but I don’t think I have ever agreed with her more  than on the beans for breakfast issue. Why, why, would you mix egg yolk with beans and their sauce?

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NewsHound

WATCH: Alex Cole-Hamilton defend Scotland’s place in the UK in Oxford Union debate

By NewsHound | Sat 4th March 2023 - 10:46 am

Alex Cole-Hamilton recently took part in an Oxford Union debate on Scottish independence. His side, opposing the motion that “This House would support an independent Scotland” won comfortably.

Watch his speech here:

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Mark Valladares

3 March 2023 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 3rd March 2023 - 10:35 pm
  • Elderly fraud victims in Wales losing £35,000 a day to “tidal wave” of scams
  • Government’s refusal to confirm further energy support payments leaves people “living in limbo”
  • Partygate: Prime Minister must back Committee’s findings

Elderly fraud victims in Wales losing £35,000 a day to “tidal wave” of scams

Elderly fraud victims are facing a “tidal wave of scams” with losses of over £35,000 million a day, shocking new figures uncovered by the Welsh Liberal Democrats have revealed.

The party accused the Conservatives of being “asleep at the wheel” in the fight against fraud, and called for an urgent strategy to protect victims including the vulnerable and elderly from online scams.

The figures were revealed through a Freedom of Information request by the Welsh Liberal Democrats to Action Fraud, covering all fraud cases where the victim was 65 or older over the past four years. They show a staggering £51.2 million has been lost in total, meaning over-65s across Wales are losing £35,087 to fraud each day.

The analysis shows that elderly fraud is on the rise, jumping from 1,847 recorded cases in 2019 up to 3,366 cases in 2022. Financial losses were also at a new high in 2022 – with pensioners losing nearly £16.5 million, up from £6.8 million in 2021.

Since the beginning of 2019, more than 12,000 cases of fraud against pensioners have been logged in Wales.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have criticised the Conservative Government for shirking its responsibility to tackle fraud. The Home Office has failed to publish the Fraud Strategy it promised in March 2022, which replaced 2021 plans for a national Fraud Action Plan that never materialised.

The party is demanding that the Government urgently publish its Fraud Strategy after months of delays. They are also calling for the creation of an Online Crime Agency that would coordinate work across the country on tackling online fraud.

Commenting on the shocking figures, Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said:

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Mark Valladares

2 March 2023 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 2nd March 2023 - 10:30 pm
  • Ed Davey opens first Lib Dem office in Esher and Walton in bid to oust Dominic Raab
  • Surrey oil court case: A victory for local people against the Government and oil barons
  • The Government laughed at us while everyone else followed the rules

Ed Davey opens first Lib Dem office in Esher and Walton in bid to oust Dominic Raab

Today, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey opened the party’s first ever office in Dominic Raab’s ultra-marginal Surrey constituency.

The Liberal Democrats are under 3,000 votes away from ousting the Conservative Deputy Prime Minister at the next election.

Since the last General Election, the Liberal Democrats have been on a winning streak; gaining a host of council seats in Esher and Walton as well as achieving three historic parliamentary by-election victories in Chesham & Amersham, North Shropshire and Tiverton & Honiton.

The new office in Esher & Walton marks the party’s campaign ramping up in Surrey ahead of this May’s crucial local elections. The Liberal Democrats have re-selected Monica Harding as their General Election candidate, who came a close second in Esher & Walton in 2019, achieving a massive swing from the Conservative party.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

At the next election in Esher and Walton, it will be a two horse race between four more years of Conservative party chaos, or a hardworking local Liberal Democrat MP.

I am delighted to open the first ever Lib Dem office in the constituency, which is a landmark moment in our bid to oust Dominic Raab at the next election.

Every time I visit Esher and Walton, which neighbours my own constituency, I hear from local people who are fed up with being taken for granted by the Conservative party. There is outrage here at local health services starved of funding, sewage being dumped in rivers and taxes being hiked on hardworking families.

The Blue Wall is crumbling after years of Conservative party chaos in Westminster. The Liberal Democrats will be the challengers to Conservative MPs across vast swatches of the South East, especially here in Surrey.

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The Voice

WATCH: Christine Jardine challenge PM to cut energy bills.

By The Voice | Thu 2nd March 2023 - 2:37 pm

Yesterday at Prime Minister’s Questions, Christine Jardine asked Rishi Sunak to cut the energy bills. She cited a survey she had carried out in her constituency that showed that 80% of respondents were forced to cut their energy use.

The Prime Minister would not give that commitment:

The Liberal Democrats’ shadow Energy Secretary said that there was no role for nuclear power in our future energy industry, which is not something that we need to listen to. As for helping people with their energy bills, as I said earlier, because of the energy price guarantee we are paying, typically, about half a family’s energy bill at the moment, which is worth £1,000. However, the support does not end there: over the next year there will be about £1,000 of direct support for the most vulnerable families in the nation.

I agree with the hon. Lady about energy efficiency. It is important, which is why the Government have allocated more than £6 billion over the current Parliament, and the new schemes that we have just introduced will help hundreds of thousands of households across the country, saving them about £300 on their bills through improvements in their energy efficiency—and the hon. Lady is right: it should be available everywhere, including Scotland.

Afterwards, Christine said:

By refusing to cut energy bills Rishi Sunak is leaving millions of families and pensioners on the brink.

This Conservative Government is happy to heartlessly stand by while millions see their energy bills continue to soar.

We need real action, and that means implementing the Liberal Democrat plans to cut energy bills with a huge windfall tax and tax oil and gas giants bonanza bonuses.

Liberal Democrats have this week set out their plan to help people with energy bills:

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Mark Valladares

1 March 2023 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 1st March 2023 - 11:45 pm
  • PAC NHS report: Targets simply aren’t worth the paper they’re written on
  • Lockdown files: Rees-Mogg got Covid test couriered to own home
  • St. David’s Day – Welsh Liberal Democrats Call on Other Parties to Back Bill to Make St. David’s Day a public holiday
  • Hancock messages “lay bare the chaos at the heart of the Govt”
  • PMQs: Sunak refuses to cut energy bills
  • Hancock messages: How many more ministers received priority tests?
  • Williamson’s text solidifies his place as one of the worst Ministers to grace Government

PAC NHS report: Targets simply aren’t worth the paper they’re written on

Responding to the embargoed Public Accounts Committee report which finds the first year of NHS England’s three-year recovery programme is already falling short of expectations, Liberal Democrat Health spokesperson Daisy Cooper said:

It‘s broken promise after broken promise when it comes to this government and the NHS.

The public has lost all faith in the Conservative government and can now see that its targets simply aren’t worth the paper they’re written on.

Lockdown files: Rees-Mogg got Covid test couriered to own home

Responding to reports in the Telegraph that Jacob Rees-Mogg had a Covid test couriered to his home by health officials during a national shortage, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader and Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper said:

This is yet more evidence that it’s one rule for Conservative ministers and another for everyone else.

The Covid inquiry must look into reports Conservative ministers were able to get priority access to tests at a time of national shortage. Rishi Sunak must also confirm what he knew about this scandal. The public deserves to know the truth.

St. David’s Day – Welsh Liberal Democrats Call on Other Parties to Back Bill to Make St. David’s Day a public holiday

This St David’s Day, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have reiterated their calls for the day to become a public holiday in Wales urging other political parties to back a Bill they have put to parliament that would allow the Senedd to designate the day as such.

St David’s Day is currently only a patron saint day and does not have any legal standing. Meanwhile, in Scotland and Ireland St Andrew’s Day and St Patrick’s Day respectively are already public holidays.

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Mark Valladares

28 February 2023 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 28th February 2023 - 11:15 pm
  • Fuel poverty figures reveal over 7 million household struggling with energy bills
  • Sewage: Govt Minister refuses to protect clean water regulations

Fuel poverty figures reveal over 7 million household struggling with energy bills

New fuel poverty statistics have revealed millions of households are struggling to afford their energy bills.

The government’s annual Fuel Poverty Report showed there were an estimated 3.26 million households (13.4%) in fuel poverty in England in 2022, which is expected to rise to 3.5 million in 2023. A staggering 7.39 million (30.3%) of households in England had to spend more than 10% of income on energy costs in 2022, up from 4.93 million (20.5%) in 2021.

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to scrap its plans to increase average energy bills by £500 in April, and instead cut bills funded through a proper windfall tax.

Responding to the news, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

These stark figures show milions of families and pensioners are struggling to afford sky-high energy bills.

It beggars belief that the Conservatives are plannng to worsen this cost of living catastrophe by hiking people’s energy bills by another £500 in April.

People in fuel poverty need support without delay. We need to cut energy bills and expand support for the most vulnerable, funded through a proper windfall tax on oil and gas giants making record profits.

Sewage: Govt Minister refuses to protect clean water regulations

Today, the Liberal Democrats held up proceedings in the Committee Stage of the Retained EU Law Bill to save regulations that protect both swimmers and wildlife from sewage and other water pollution.

The Bathing Water Regulations and Water Framework Directive are both at risk of being scrapped under the Government’s new Retained EU Law Bill, which aims to remove hundreds of pieces of legislation from UK law.

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News Meerkat

Northern Ireland deal – it shouldn’t have taken the Tories years to get to this point

By News Meerkat | Tue 28th February 2023 - 9:30 am

As the Prime Minister “sells” the Northern Ireland protocol deal, promising to tough out DUP criticism, the Liberal Democrats have responded:

There is this interesting comment from columnist Will Hutton:

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Mary Reid

One year ago today …

By Mary Reid | Fri 24th February 2023 - 9:58 am

Embed from Getty Images

Liberal Democrats have been commenting on the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Ed Davey said:

Today all of us will be thinking of the Ukrainian families split up by Putin’s invasion. We will be thinking of those who have lost a loved one and those who fight for Ukraine’s freedom.

Over the past year we have seen amazing acts of heroism in Ukraine as well as unflinching unity across Europe and our politics in the UK.

We will never forget the suffering of the Ukrainian people at the hands of Putin’s barbaric regime and we will stand in solidarity with Ukraine until they achieve victory.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

Almost one year ago today, our world shifted on its axis as Russian soldiers, tanks and instruments of war crossed the border and rolled into the sovereign territory of Ukraine. It spelled what so many of us had hoped we would never see again- war in Europe.

Putin’s invasion is an assault on diplomacy and democracy, on peace and freedom. In places like Bucha and Irpin, he has sanctioned unimaginable atrocities. He does not belong in the Kremlin; he belongs in the Hague.

As I reflect on the suffering that the Ukrainian people have endured, it has become terrifyingly clear that the liberal and democratic structures we take so much for granted can be so easily taken from us.

That is why we must defend the values that unite us and support our Ukrainian friends as they rebuild their lives so far away from home.

In Scotland, people have shown an overwhelming amount of collective generosity as they open up their homes to refugees fleeing the conflict. I am immeasurably proud of work taking place in my own constituency of Edinburgh Western, where Volunteer Edinburgh have done an incredible job at greeting displaced Ukrainians and coordinating donations, learning centres and other opportunities across the city.

Today, the world remembers everything that has been lost. But we also hope that one day soon, Ukraine will once again enjoy its blue skies of freedom.

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Caron Lindsay

Drama as Lib Dem budget passes in Edinburgh

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 23rd February 2023 - 8:06 pm

Budget setting in Scotland’s Councils is challenging to say the least at the moment. The cumulative effect of a decade and a half of SNP Government underfunding makes for some very tough decision making.

There was unexpected drama in Edinburgh’s historic City Chambers this afternoon as the Labour administration’s Council budget was defeated and that of the Lib Dem group passed instead.

Labour’s budget was defeated due to tactical voting by the 10 Green Councillors, who split their votes amongst the opposition parties. In addition, a suspended Labour Councillor resigned from the group during the meeting, bringing their number of Councillors down to 12.

From the Evening News:

The successful Lib Dem proposals also include a council tax rise of five per cent, less than the 5.75 per cent proposed by Labour; rejecting £5m of education cuts proposed by council officials; an extra £11m for road and pavement maintenance; £3m for improvements to parks and greenspaces; an extra £2m for flood prevention; and £3m towards the refurbishment of the King’s Theatre. But there is no money to fund the continuation of free tram fares for under-22s or bring back a cycle hire scheme.

One element that meant a lot to one particular councillor was the saving of speech and language therapies, although his very personal speech was interrupted by a former Council leader.

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Caron Lindsay

Spring Conference – Get your awkward questions in….

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 23rd February 2023 - 11:15 am

One of the important bits of our internal party democracy is that each of the Federal Committees needs to submit a report to Conference, which is subject to a vote. The chair of the Committee also takes questions at Conference.

These accountability sessions are often boring, but can, occasionally, make important changes.

Back in 2021, a member used the report session on the Federal Board to submit a request for a separate vote which ended the Steering Group project. This had been introduced as a way of streamlining the decision-making process which many people, myself included, saw as reducing accountability. I was very annoyed that my mandate as a directly elected Board member had been interfered with in this way.

The irony of this is that that vote would have passed if the “payroll” vote had been around. Although the Conference was online, our MPs and senior office bearers were actually in Canary Wharf, where Ed Davey was going to give his leader’s speech to an audience for the first time since the pandemic.

The opportunities for decent scrutiny in the party are diminishing rapidly, so the Conference session is an important opportunity for members to have their say.

The committee reports have now been published and there’s a lot to chew over.  New appointments to the Federal Appeals Panel, changes to the disciplinary process, new affiliated organisations to approve and work plans for all the committees are in there. I was drawn to something a bit spicy that departing Federal People Development Committee Chair Mary Regnier Wilson said in her report as it chimed with the article I wrote on Saturday about the need for us to develop a compelling pitch for people’s votes.

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The Voice

Hat-trick of Lib Dems hammer Tories on broken health pledges

By The Voice | Thu 23rd February 2023 - 9:47 am

There was another hat-trick of Lib Dems at PMQs yesterday, and this time they tag-teamed to show the Conservatives up for failing to keep key health pledges in their manifesto.

Watch here, with the text exchange after the video.

First up, Ed Davey on the missing 40 hospitals.

It was a pleasure to meet the delegation from Kyiv before Question Time and to confirm that hon. Members across the House are united in our support for Ukraine and its brave heroes. The Conservative manifesto promised 40 new hospitals, but after three years most do not even have planning permission yet. Communities feel betrayed and taken for granted. As ITV showed yesterday, St Helier Hospital in south London is literally crumbling, but there is still no plan to save it, and Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Cambridgeshire has sewage leaking into its wards and a roof that could collapse at any moment. Does the Prime Minister agree that no patients, doctors or nurses should have to put up with those conditions?

The Prime Minister
I am proud that we are investing record sums into the NHS under this Government, including record sums into NHS capital, which are going on not only upgrading almost 100 hospitals and developing 40 large-scale developments, as the right hon. Gentleman knows, but investing in more scanners and more ambulances across the board so that we can deliver vital care to people. I am very pleased that the most recent statistics on urgent emergency care show considerable improvement from the challenges we faced in December, and we are now on a clear path to getting people the treatment they need in the time they need it.

Next up was by-election winner Richard Foord, who quizzed the PM on what was going on in the south west:

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Caron Lindsay

Ed starts Blue Wall tour and calls for more community police officers

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 23rd February 2023 - 6:31 am

Ed Davey heads out on the road today. He’s doing a 25 stop tour of Blue Wall seats ahead of the local elections and starts in the Lib Dem stronghold of Three Rivers. The Council has been in Lib Dem hands for decades, but the parliamentary seats have so far eluded us.

His tour will take in Dominic Raab’s constituency of Esher and Walton, John Redwood’s seat in Wokingham, and other ultra marginal Blue Wall seats from Cheltenham to Cheadle.

Today in Three Rivers, Ed will  highlight shocking figures showing just 2% of local burglaries result in a suspect being charged. He will warn of a “silent epidemic” of crime sweeping across the country, accusing the Conservatives of going from the “party of law and order to the party of chaos and crisis.”

Analysis from our ace team of researchers  has shown that police forces across the Blue Wall have been disproportionately impacted by Conservative cuts, leaving them under-resourced, overstretched and unable to focus on tackling crime.

At the same time, Blue Wall communities are being hit hard by unsolved burglaries. Alongside Hertfordshire (2%), Gloucestershire (1%), Dorset (2%) and Hampshire (2%) have some of the lowest rates of burglaries resulting in a suspect being charged across the country.

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Mark Valladares

17-19 February – the weekend’s press release

By Mark Valladares | Mon 20th February 2023 - 1:16 pm

Hundreds of sewage leaks in England’s hospitals over the last year

  • Shocking reports of patients slipping over on sewage, staff becoming ill and urine & faeces leaking into offices and wards
  • Sewage flows in A&E departments, cancer wards and maternity centres amongst other critical hospital buildings
  • Liberal Democrat Leader demands urgent funds to fix hospitals before more patients and staff suffer from disgusting conditions

Freedom of Information Requests by the Liberal Democrats to NHS Trusts has revealed in the past twelve months there has been a staggering 456 sewage leaks in England’s hospitals. 55 NHS Trusts provided responses which reveal the shocking state of …

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Caron Lindsay

Cole-Hamilton: People need change, not endless independence navel gazing

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 19th February 2023 - 2:32 pm

On the weekend that various SNP leadership bids are launched, Scottish Lib Dem Leader Alex Cole-Hamilton set out this party’s priorities for Government.

Two things have cheered him this week. First a poll suggesting that we would double our Holyrood group to 8 if there were a Scottish election today.

The second was unexpectedly finding himself on a list of potential successors to Nicola Sturgeon:

Seriously, I think we are much more lead than the SNP at the moment. I doubt he’ll be thinking the grass is greener.

Anyway, Alex made his remarks about the priorities for the next First Minister at the start of an action day in the Corstorphine/Murrayfield by-election in the heart of his Edinburgh Western constituency. I’m more surprised, to be honest, that organiser Ed and campaign manager Kevin Lang allowed activists to stand still for long enough to listen to him on the weekend before postal votes land. This is what he said:

Nicola Sturgeon’s launched ferries with painted on windows and failed to close the attainment gap in our schools. Drug deaths many times worse than anywhere else in Europe and a stagnant economy are the consequence of years of ministerial disinterest. The delivery rarely lived up to the hype.

I’m challenging the leadership contenders to recognise where timeworn SNP policies have failed to deliver for the NHS, schools, the economy and the efforts to reduce Scotland’s emissions.

I’ve set out positive policies for the would-be candidates today because being open to ideas from the opposition benches is a sign of good government. With three years until the next scheduled Holyrood election, people have the right to see change, not more of the same.

We will work hard to move the debate on from the divisions of the past because people can’t wait for years behind yet more arguments and navel-gazing about independence. All of the good things we want to do can’t play second fiddle any longer. Scotland needs new hope, right now.

When it comes to breaking up the UK, no price is too high and no amount of disruption too painful for the nationalists. Scottish Liberal Democrats will stand up for communities around the country being totally taken for granted by this SNP Government.

He is asking the SNP leadership contenders to do five things:

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The Voice

Two Lib Dem by-election GAINS

By The Voice | Fri 17th February 2023 - 10:00 am

I’m sure we’ll have more details in ALDC’s by-election report later, but the news of two more by-election gains overnight is lovely to wake up to.

First, in Cornwall, we took a seat from the Tories which is always a pleasure.

And then, in St Neots in Cambridgeshire, we took a seat from the St Neots Independents.

Thanks to all the Liberal Democrat candidates who stood yesterday and their teams for all the hard work they have put in and for keeping the Lib Dem flag flying. It is so important that people have the chance to vote for us in every election.

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Alisdair Calder McGregor

Plan ahead – rail strikes planned for Spring Conference weekend

By Alisdair Calder McGregor | Fri 17th February 2023 - 9:00 am

The railway workers’ union the RMT has announced a series of strikes planned for March and April.

The dates of the strikes are the 16th, 18th and 30th of March, and the 1st of April.

The first two dates are the Thursday right before conference, and the Saturday of Conference, both of which dates might impact those travelling to conference.

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Mark Valladares

15-16 February 2023 – two day’s worth of press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 16th February 2023 - 11:10 pm
  • Welsh Lib Dems Respond to Welsh Dental Report
  • Inflation Stats: Hard-working people are paying the price for Conservative incompetence
  • British Gas profits: A betrayal for customers across the country

Welsh Lib Dems Respond to Welsh Dental Report

Responding to the publication of the Health and Social Care Committee report on dentistry in Wales, Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said:

I welcome the publication of this report and its recommendations. Since being elected I have made securing access to NHS dentistry one of my top priorities and the issue regularly fills my inbox.

NHS dental provision in Wales is not good enough, and this report raises really important questions about the reasons why Labour has allowed a two-tier dental system in Wales to develop, where the rich can go private and everyone else is left languishing on waiting lists.

I am also disappointed to hear that relations between Welsh Government and the dental profession are at a low point when, to deal with both the effects of the pandemic and the longer-term structural problems in NHS dentistry, we need Government and dentists to work together.

Ultimately we need to ensure the resources are in place to fix this problem, including raising spend on dentistry per head to similar levels as Scotland or Northern Ireland as I argued for in the most recent Welsh Government budget debate. By failing to address this issue now Labour is potentially creating a longer-term problem.

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