Category Archives: News

The Voice

Richard Foord tables bill on wild camping in national parks

By The Voice | Thu 26th January 2023 - 5:51 pm

Dartmoor was the only area of England and Wales where under a local law there had been an assumed right to wild camp without the landowner’s permission. However a High Court judge ruled earlier this month that this was legally wrong and permission was needed. That affects not only casual wild campers but also schemes such as the Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme.

A limited agreement for camping access with some landowners on has been agreed. But concern remains that an already restricted right of access to camp is being restricted further. Following the decision, wild camping outside of a designated campsite without the landowner’s permission is no longer legal anywhere in England and Wales.

Yesterday, Richard Foord, MP for Tiverton and Honiton, tabled a bill in the House of Commons – the National Parks (Camping) Bill.

 

Continue reading »
Tagged | 4 Comments
NewsHound

Tim Farron on decarbonising steel production and that coal mine

By NewsHound | Thu 26th January 2023 - 4:53 pm

Tim Farron spoke in a Westminster Hall debate on steel production yesterday:

Steel is vital to our green economy. As Britain decarbonises with new infrastructure based on steel, let us make sure that we also decarbonise the processes we use to make that steel.

His comments come in the shadow of the government approving the controversial Woodhouse coal mine in Whitehaven, the first deep coal mine in England since 1986.

Continue reading »
Tagged , , and | Leave a comment
The Voice

Bath & North East Somerset adopts net zero housing policy

By The Voice | Thu 26th January 2023 - 11:32 am

Liberal Democrat controlled Bath and North East Somerset Council has become the first council in England to adopt an energy-based net zero housing policy as part of its commitment to tackling the climate emergency.

The new housing development policy will ensure the energy use of any proposed development is measured and meets a specified target — setting a limit on the total energy use and demand for space heating. It will also require sufficient on-site renewable energy generation to match the total energy consumption of the buildings — ensuring the development is 100% self-sufficient.

New policies will also address building emissions such as a policy to limit carbon emissions resulting from the materials used in the construction of large-scale developments. These ‘upfront’ embodied carbon emissions will be limited to 900kg CO2 e/m2.

Continue reading »
Tagged , and | 5 Comments
Mark Valladares

25 January 2023 – today’s press releases (part 2)

By Mark Valladares | Wed 25th January 2023 - 11:30 pm
  • Zahawi: Raab must bring in law to stop baseless legal threats
  • Sunak holding “Hideaway Day” at Chequers with scandal-hit Cabinet
  • New sewage target passed in Parliament which allows 15 more years of harmful waste in rivers
  • Conservative MPs vote to cover up the truth about golden visas

Zahawi: Raab must bring in law to stop baseless legal threats

The Liberal Democrats have written to Dominic Raab, calling on him to “urgently” bring in a new law to stop journalists and campaigners being silenced through legal threats.

It comes following numerous reports that Conservative Party Chairman Nadhim Zahawi used the threat of legal action against campaigners and journalists who raised questions about his tax affairs.

The government has previously promised new legislation to tackle the use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). Last year in response to a consultation on the issue, Dominic Raab warned these sorts of legal threats can have a “chilling effect” and “stifle legitimate reporting and debate,” with “media and others intimidated into abandoning critical stories in the face of crippling legal costs.”

Raab also previously said that “it is wrong that unscrupulous individuals and corporations are able to exploit our laws and our courts in this jurisdiction with claims designed to muzzle respected journalists, academics and campaigners.”

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to bring in new anti-SLAPP laws as quickly as possible, and to clarify if they would prevent Cabinet Ministers such as Nadhim Zahawi from behaving in the way which has been alleged.

The party is also calling for the current investigation by the ethics adviser to look into the use of legal threats by Nadhim Zahawi.

Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper said:

Dominic Raab has rightly warned about the chilling effect that the threat of legal action can have on media scrutiny and exposing corruption. It’s now time to put his money where his mouth is by finally bringing forward tough new laws to tackle these baseless legal threats.

It is particularly worrying that Nadhim Zahawi reportedly used the threat of legal action against those raising questions about his tax affairs. We need to know whether the new rules the government is proposing in this area will tackle such behaviour by Cabinet Ministers in future.

The current inquiry into Zahawi by the ethics adviser must also look into this issue, and whether legal threats were used in an attempt to cover up the truth. It can’t be one rule for Conservative ministers and another for everyone else.

Continue reading »
Also posted in Press releases | Tagged , , , , , , and | Leave a comment
Mark Valladares

25 January 2023 – today’s press releases (part 1)

By Mark Valladares | Wed 25th January 2023 - 11:05 pm
  • Zahawi: What more will it take for Sunak to do the right thing
  • Govt lags behind key 20,000 police officer pledge by over 3,400
  • Powys Patients Waits in English Hospitals Raised in the Senedd
  • Wagner Group: Rishi Sunak must order an immediate inquiry

Zahawi: What more will it take for Sunak to do the right thing

Responding to the growing calls for Rishi Sunak to suspend Nadhim Zahawi as Conservative Party Chairman, including among his own party, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper said:

Every day that Nadhim Zahawi clings on does more damage to Rishi Sunak’s credibility.

The Conservative Party is stuck in an endless cycle of sleaze and chaos, while the country suffers from a cost of living and NHS crisis.

What more will it take for Sunak to finally do the right thing and sack Zahawi, or at least suspend him for the duration of this investigation?

He promised his government would have integrity and accountability, but instead once again it’s one rule for them and another for everyone else.

Govt lags behind key 20,000 police officer pledge by over 3,400

New Police uplift statistics from the Home Office have revealed that the Government would need to double its police recruitment efforts in the next three months to meet its 20,000 targets as it lags behind by 3,427.

The Liberal Democrats have slammed the Conservatives for being on track to break their key 2019 manifesto promise to recruit 20,000 new police officers by the end of March 2023.

The Government’s flagship crime policy lags behind the total by 3,427 – with only 3 months left to go.

Analysis from the Liberal Democrats shows to meet the target of 20,000 by March 2023, the Government would have to hire 130% more officers each month, up from 494 extra officers a month over the last six months to 1,142.

The most recent statistics reveal that 17 of the 43 police forces in England and Wales have failed to recruit a single new officer in the last 2 months.

Responding, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said:

The Conservatives are too busy dealing with sleaze and scandal to properly tackle crime festering in our communities. They are letting down people across the country with their failure to recruit police officers and tackle crime.

Victims right across the country will be left without confidence in this Government and it’s all because of these broken promises and failures.

Liberal Democrats are calling for a return to proper community policing where people feel safer in their areas and the Government is focused on cutting crime instead of squabbling in Downing Street.

Continue reading »
Also posted in Press releases | Tagged , , , , , , , , and | Leave a comment
Mark Valladares

24 January 2023 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 24th January 2023 - 10:35 pm
  • Borrowing Figures: The Govt have no economic competence left
  • Stockport becomes first council to launch a sewage inquiry amid public outrage
  • Mark Drakeford Challenged on Abysmal Ambulance Waiting Times

Borrowing Figures: The Govt have no economic competence left

Responding to the latest borrowing figures, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Sarah Olney MP said:

A toxic combination of Conservative incompetence and reckless decision making at the top of Government have blown a hole in the country’s finances, and now ministers are making British families pay for it.

A long-list of Conservative Chancellors have hiked taxes, added hundreds of pounds a month to mortgages and left the country with unnecessarily high borrowing costs. The British public will never trust the Conservative party again with the economy. This Conservative Government doesn’t have a shred of economic competence left after months of chaos.

Stockport becomes first council to launch a sewage inquiry amid public outrage

  • Water company hauled in front of public meeting to defend thousands of hours worth of sewage discharges into rivers
  • The Environment Agency confirms in written evidence that water quality is “poor” and the Water Industry “is responsible”
  • Chair of the new inquiry Cllr Smart slams “a national scandal which pollutes our rivers and puts animals lives at risk”

Liberal Democrat run Stockport Council has become the first council in the country to launch an official Sewage Inquiry.

There is widespread outrage across Stockport after United Utilities dumped sewage into the river Mersey a staggering 977 times last year, lasting 3,271 hours. Across Stockport, the water firm discharged 13,372 hours of sewage discharges into local rivers.

Continue reading »
Also posted in Press releases | Tagged , , , , , and | 1 Comment
News Meerkat

Borrowing figures: The Government have no economic competence left

By News Meerkat | Tue 24th January 2023 - 10:45 am


Embed from Getty Images

The Office for National Statistics has announced that “Public sector borrowing in December 2022 was £27.4 billion, the highest December figure since monthly records began in January 1993”.

Responding to the new, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Sarah Olney MP said:

Continue reading »
Tagged | 22 Comments
News Meerkat

Lib Dem analysis shows 350,000 patients waiting over 12 hours for a hospital bed in 2022

By News Meerkat | Tue 24th January 2023 - 9:15 am


Embed from Getty Images

A record 350,000 patients, equivalent to the population of Leicester, waited more than 12 hours to be admitted to hospital from A&E in 2022.

The figures were uncovered in new analysis by the Liberal Democrats showing a staggering rise in 12 hour delays at A&E since 2015.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has set out an NHS rescue plan to reduce the shocking A&E delays which he warned are “needlessly costing lives”. This includes recruiting 8,000 more GPs, giving pharmacists more powers to prescribe medicines and boosting funding to get eligible patients out of hospital and into social care. The proposals would mean fewer desperate people turning to A&E after struggling to get a GP appointment.

Continue reading »
Tagged | Leave a comment
Mark Valladares

23 January 2023 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 23rd January 2023 - 10:30 pm
  • Strip Boris of ex-PM £115k allowance until he comes clean
  • Welsh Liberal Democrats Respond to Building Safety Announcement

Boris Johnson should be stripped of the ex-PM allowance of up to £115,000 a year until he answers questions about his financial arrangements while he was Prime Minister, the Lib Dems have said.

This comes further to successive reports regarding ‘credit facilities’ which Johnson secured while he was in Downing Street, reportedly facilitated by Richard Sharp who was subsequently appointed as BBC Chair.

The Lib Dems have warned that until Johnson comes clean about these facilities, whether there was any conflict of interest with the …

Continue reading »
Also posted in Press releases | Tagged , , , and | 2 Comments
Mark Valladares

20-22 January 2023 – the weekend’s press releases (part 2)

By Mark Valladares | Mon 23rd January 2023 - 5:14 pm
  • Zahawi: There must be an independent investigation to get to the bottom of this
  • Cleverly: Dog ate my homework type excuses simply won’t wash with the public
  • Boris loan: He must come to Parliament to explain his murky finances
  • Jane Dodds Responds to Cancelation of Young People’s Village at the Royal Welsh Show

Zahawi: There must be an independent investigation to get to the bottom of this

Responding to the latest statement from Nadhim Zahawi on his tax affairs, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper said:

Zahawi and his Conservative Cabinet colleagues are arrogantly trying to brush this under the carpet.

There are facts that still

…

Continue reading »
Also posted in Press releases | Tagged , , , , , , and | 4 Comments
Mark Valladares

20-22 January 2023 – the weekend’s press releases (part 1)

By Mark Valladares | Mon 23rd January 2023 - 2:49 pm
  • Sunak fine: From partygate to seatbelt gate, Conservative politicians are taking British people for fools
  • Research reveals squeezed middle facing biggest income tax hit in a decade
  • Alarm as Number of Homeless Children in Wales Rises by 59%

Sunak fine: From partygate to seatbelt gate, Conservative politicians are taking British people for fools

Responding to the news that Rishi Sunak has been given a Fixed Penalty Notice for not wearing his seatbelt during a Lancashire visit, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said:

Rishi Sunak has shown the same disregard for the rules as Boris Johnson, and now becomes the second ever Prime Minister to be fined by the police.

From partygate to seatbelt gate, these Conservative politicians are just taking the British people for fools.

Whilst they continue to behave as though it’s one rule for them and another for everyone else, this fine is a reminder that the Conservatives eventually get their comeuppance.

Continue reading »
Also posted in Press releases | Tagged , , , , , , and | 1 Comment
The Voice

Record 350,000 patients waited over 12 hours at A&E last year

By The Voice | Mon 23rd January 2023 - 10:50 am

  • Figures reveal 1,000 patients left waiting 12 hours or more in A&E every day in 2022
  • Analysis shows shocking rise in long A&E delays since 2015, when just 1,300 people waited 12 hours or more
  • Lib Dems set out plan to tackle NHS crisis including recruiting more GPs and allowing pharmacists to prescribe more medicines

A record 350,000 patients, equivalent to the population of Leicester, waited more than 12 hours to be admitted to hospital from A&E in 2022.

The figures were uncovered in new analysis by the Liberal Democrats showing a staggering rise in 12 hour delays at A&E since 2015.

Liberal …

Continue reading »
Also posted in Press releases | Tagged , and | 2 Comments
Mark Valladares

Welcome to my day: 23 January 2023 – clinging desperately to the wreckage…

By Mark Valladares | Mon 23rd January 2023 - 7:30 am

I’ve been away, which has come as something of a relief, it must be said. Admittedly, not much has changed since I went away – the people running our country still appear to have a restricted grasp of ethics and morality, the Opposition are still desperately attempting to avoid taking any firm position on very much, the lack of ideas for dealing with the huge challenges our country faces is still troubling.

And I’m weary. Weary of trying to serve a nation where those in charge barely pay lip service to the idea …

Continue reading »
Tagged | 2 Comments
The Voice

Lib Dem Mathew Hulbert says Church of England giving in to its conservatives on same sex marriage

By The Voice | Sat 21st January 2023 - 2:30 pm

Lib Dem Councillor Mathew Hulbert has been taking to the airwaves to criticise the Church of England and the Archbishop of Canterbury for giving into the Conservative side of the Anglican Communion. Yesterday, the Church announced that, while it would not allow same sex marriages in Church, they would allow blessings. However, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said that he personally would not conduct them. He said:

But because of my pastoral care and responsibility of being a focus of unity for the whole communion I will – while being extremely joyfully celebratory of these new resources – I will not personally use them in order to compromise that pastoral care

The Church is also apologising for not being inclusive to LGBT+ people in the past.

Yesterday, Mathew tweeted:

This led to a few requests for interviews.

Here’s a brief clip from his Talk TV appearance.

Continue reading »
Tagged , , and | 4 Comments
Paul McGarry

How you can join Operation Social Equality

By Paul McGarry | Sat 21st January 2023 - 12:30 pm

I am pleased to tell you about a new Affiliated Organisation we are starting called Operation Social Equality. It is open to all members of the Liberal Democrats but has a specific focus to support members from low-socio economic backgrounds.

Studies tell us that those from low socio-economic backgrounds are amongst the most under-represented in politics and also the least engaged. So three years ago the journey started to look at what can be done to help the Liberal Democrats become more inclusive and to encourage more people from low socio-economic backgrounds to engage with the party.

I heard from many people who shared experiences just like those that I had experienced myself. I heard stories of some who had walked away from the party.  Some found doors to be closed or opportunities held just too far away to grab. It was from these conversations that Operation Social Equality was born.

Continue reading »
Tagged , and | 4 Comments
NewsHound

Survation: Majority of Conservative councillors dissatisfied with own party’s performance

By NewsHound | Fri 20th January 2023 - 3:25 pm

This week Survation reported the results of a survey undertaken in the last month. They polled 710 councillors of all parties across the UK. The results are interesting, if painfully predictable for the Tories.

Survation asked the councillors to assess the local performance of their party in 2022. Liberal Democrats came out with a net satisfaction rating of +92% (which is remarkably high); Labour councillors had a net satisfaction of +73%, but the Conservatives came in with a miserable +21%. Note that this is their assessment of their local performance for which they were responsible.

If you think that last figure is low, it gets far worse when councillors were asked about their party’s national performance. On that, the Conservative councillors net satisfaction is a staggering -53% (note the negative). In fact 72% of Tory councillors said they were somewhat or extremely dissatisfied with the performance of the Conservatives nationally, compared with only 19% who were somewhat or extremely satisfied.

Labour and Liberal Democrats managed net satisfaction ratings of their party’s national performance of +65% and +56% respectively.

The survey also explored the favourability rating of the various party leaders. You can read more detail in the report, but it is worth mentioning how the main party leaders were viewed by Lib Dem councillors: Not surprisingly Ed Davey had a net favourability of +80%, while Keir Starmer achieved +5%, and Rishi Sunak was on -76%.

Continue reading »
Tagged , , , and | 1 Comment
Mark Valladares

19 January 2023 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 19th January 2023 - 10:30 pm
  • Record ambulance delays reveal NHS “horror show”
  • Latest NHS figures on delayed discharges reveal “living nightmare”
  • Levelling up: Rural and coastal communities taken for granted

Record ambulance delays reveal NHS “horror show”

Ambulance response times in Wales have fallen to a record low in December with a staggering 60.5% of red calls (those deemed most life-threatening) being above the official target times. This figure is the highest on record and beats previous numbers in December 2021 and 2020, the latter of which was at the height of the pandemic.

Figures have also shown that a shocking 78% of amber calls, which include heart attacks and …

Continue reading »
Also posted in Press releases | Tagged , , , , and | Leave a comment
Mark Valladares

18 January 2023 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 18th January 2023 - 10:30 pm
  • Inflation pushing families to the brink and economy to breaking point
  • Hunt video: Mr Bean-esque from the same clueless party that crashed the economy
  • Retained EU Law Bill a “shameless power-grab”

Inflation pushing families to the brink and economy to breaking point

Responding to the news that inflation remains in double digits at 10.5%, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Sarah Olney MP said:

For months and months Inflation has soared pushing families to the brink, bills out of control and the economy to breaking point.

People across the country work hard and just want a fair deal but under this Conservative Government, double-digit inflation is just business as usual.

Struggling families and pensioners deserve more support but the Government’s track record on the cost of living crisis has been nothing short of a failure, hurting millions.

Continue reading »
Also posted in Press releases | Tagged , , , and | 2 Comments
Mark Valladares

17 January 2023 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 17th January 2023 - 10:30 pm
  • ONS pay figures: Chancellors have fanned the flames of this cost of living crisis
  • Billions in taxes lost as HMRC moves staff to Brexit and Covid fraud

ONS pay figures: Chancellors have fanned the flames of this cost of living crisis

Responding to this morning’s latest ONS earnings and unemployment figures, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Sarah Olney said:

Successive Conservative Chancellors have fanned the flames of this cost of living crisis. Their deeply shameful tax hikes and failure to grow the economy has lead to Britain’s pay being squeezed despite unbearably high bills. It has been an economic clown show from this Conservative

…

Continue reading »
Also posted in Press releases | Tagged , , and | 1 Comment
News Meerkat

“Cynical” move to block Scotland’s Gender Recognition Bill

By News Meerkat | Tue 17th January 2023 - 8:28 am

The Guardian reports:

Rishi Sunak’s government has blocked legislation passed by the Scottish parliament that would make Scotland the first part of the UK to introduce a self-identification system for people who want to change gender.

The Scottish secretary, Alister Jack, announced that he would use section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998 for the first time to halt the gender recognition bill after a review by UK government lawyers.

Continue reading »
Tagged and | 3 Comments
Mark Valladares

16 January 2023 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 16th January 2023 - 11:40 pm
  • It’s Blue Wall Monday and families are paying the price
  • PC David Carrick: Lib Dems call for immediate investigation

It’s Blue Wall Monday and families are paying the price

Today marks Blue Monday when Brits are left counting up their Christmas bills.

For families in the Blue Wall, there is an additional hit to their finances: The Conservative Government.

New analysis by the Liberal Democrats reveals the typical family in the South East will be £760 worse off this January compared to last year – including paying an extra £620 more a month in mortgage …

Continue reading »
Also posted in Press releases | Tagged , , , and | 1 Comment
NewsHound

LibLink: Lib Dems plan ‘Labour squeeze’ in fight for suburban Tory seats

By NewsHound | Mon 16th January 2023 - 1:03 pm

The Guardian has today covered reports that the Liberal Democrats will be attempting to squeeze the Labour vote in key target seats. Now, whilst this may not come as a huge surprise to Liberal Democrat activists, the article does offer some useful quotes from the likes of Zoe Franklin, our PPC in Guildford, noting the issues that arise from younger voters moving out of London;

We’re really aware of this shift of people moving from London,” Franklin said. “They would normally vote for Labour, but now found themselves in Surrey, and one of the things we really need to get

…

Continue reading »
Also posted in LibLink | Tagged , and | 15 Comments
Mark Valladares

15 January 2023 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 15th January 2023 - 10:30 pm
  • Harper: Govt could have stopped strike misery months ago
  • Lib Dems call for Partygate conduct inquiry in ethics advisor’s ‘first test’ in post

Harper: Govt could have stopped strike misery months ago

Responding to Mark Harper on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg indicating he is hopeful for a deal to resolve the rail strikes, Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office Spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said:

This Government has spent months dithering, delaying and refusing to get around the table to resolve strike action. Millions of people have suffered upheaval and still, the Government won’t set out a timetable for resolution.

All of these strikes are

…

Continue reading »
Also posted in Press releases | Tagged , and | Leave a comment
NewsHound

Sarah Olney criticises “appalling” rush to pass anti Strike Bill

By NewsHound | Sat 14th January 2023 - 3:30 pm

Lib Dem Treasury spokesperson Sarah Olney has criticised the “appalling” way the Government is trying to “sneak” through its new anti strike measures with the bare minimum of Parliamentary scrutiny. MPs will have two days to debate the measures.

Reported in the Standard, Sarah said:

It’s appalling for Conservative ministers to try and sneak this sweeping new law through with barely any scrutiny from MPs. It’s almost like they know their Bill would fall apart under even the lightest examination.

Tagged , , and | 1 Comment
Alan Good

ALDC by-election report: 12th January 2023

By Alan Good | Fri 13th January 2023 - 7:25 pm

Only two principal by-elections occurred this week, a double whammy in Plymouth City Council. Huge congrats to Mike Gillbard and Colin Mackenzie for standing in Plympton Chaddlewood and Moor View – especially as we didn’t stand a candidate in Plymptom Chaddlewood last time! The Conservatives lost both seats; one to the Greens, another to Labour.

Over in Wells City Council, we had a Parish Council by-election where the Liberal Democrats took a seat from the Wells Independents with over half the vote share! Amazing news for Georgie Robbins and the Wells Liberal Democrats!

Little by little, the blue wall is crumbling. Full results below:

St Cuthbert’s Ward, Wells City Council

Georgie Robbins (Liberal Democrats): 436 (52.8%)
Wells Independents: 214 (25.9%)
Conservative Party Candidate: 176 (21.3%)

Liberal Democrat GAIN from Independent

Plympton Chaddlewood, Plymouth City Council

Green: 653 (44.9%, +1.6%)
Conservative: 425 (29.2%, -18.4%)
Independent: 182 (12.5%, +12.5%)
Labour: 147 (10.1%, +0.9%)
Liberal Democrat (Mike Gillbard): 33 (2.3%, +2.3%)
TUSC: 15 (1.0%, +1.0%)

Green GAIN from Conservative

Moor View, Plymouth City Council

Labour: 1415 (53.2%, +23.9)
Conservative: 877 (33.0%, -30.5)
Independent: 184 (6.9%, +6.9)
Green: 87 (3.3%, -1.1)
Liberal Democrat (Colin Alexander Mackenzie): 77 (2.9%, +0.6)
TUSC: 18 (0.7%, +0.2)

Labour GAIN from Conservative

Continue reading »
Tagged | 8 Comments
The Voice

WATCH: Floella Benjamin press Government on Windrush leaks

By The Voice | Thu 12th January 2023 - 8:55 pm

On Tuesday we reported that Baroness Floella Benjamin had written to the Prime Minister to ask for an assurance that the Government will not renege on its pledge to implement the recommendations of Wendy Williams in her Lessons Learned Review of the Windrush Scandal. 

Today, Floella sought the same commitment in a Lords question:

The reply was not exactly a robust commitment:

Continue reading »
Tagged , , and | Leave a comment
The Voice

WATCH: Wera Hobhouse asks PM to support her bill to tackle workplace sexual harassment

By The Voice | Thu 12th January 2023 - 7:25 pm

Yesterday, Wera Hobhouse asked the Prime Minister to ensure her bill aimed at tackling workplace sexual harassment has a safe passage through Parliament. The Government has already agreed to support it, but it needs to free up the parliamentary time for it to complete its stages before the end of the session in the Spring.

Watch her here:

In response, the Prime Minister’s words were warm but he didn’t actually give a specific commitment:

Continue reading »
Tagged , and | 4 Comments
The Voice

Baroness Floella Benjamin writes to Rishi Sunak about Windrush fears

By The Voice | Tue 10th January 2023 - 5:40 pm

Floella Benjamin is Chair of the UK government’s Windrush Commemoration Committee. She has written to Rishi Sunak over concerns that the government is planning to renege on pledges made after the Windrush scandal.

Tagged and | Leave a comment
The Voice

“A wholly preventable NHS crisis”

By The Voice | Sun 8th January 2023 - 12:23 pm

Embed from Getty Images

For weeks now, our Health spokesperson, Daisy Cooper, has been energetically raising the issue of the crisis in the NHS on a daily basis. She has been calling for the Prime Minister to declare a major incident and to recall Parliament.

Here is today’s tweet.

 

In a press release she has outlined the Liberal Democrat’s Winter Plan for Ambulances.

Continue reading »
Tagged | 24 Comments
Caron Lindsay

BBC acknowledges Clarkson omission

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 7th January 2023 - 10:55 am

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote that Laura Kuenssberg should have questioned the editor of The Sun, Victoria Newton, over the paper’s publication of a horribly misogynistic column about the Duchess of Sussex.

But what really annoys me is that Laura Kuenssberg had the editor of the Sun sitting right there in front of her on her show this morning and she didn’t challenge her on why she had allowed such a piece of violent misogyny to be published. And nor did any of the other panellists. No wonder the right wing press get away with so much when they know that they will not come under any scrutiny.

Instead, Kuenssberg chose to ask the editor of The Sun whether Harry’s claims about the collusion between the royals and the media were true. She took the obvious denial at face value but didn’t take it any further. It was a valid question, but she should have followed up with something on this article.

Harry and Meghan says that the racist and misogynist attacks on Meghan in the British press, and the failure of the Royal Family to protect her, led to them basically fleeing the country. Clarkson’s article, published by one media outlet unscrutinised by others, makes their point for them.

Since then, the Sun has removed the article and apologised. 

At the time, I complained to the BBC in a bit of a triumph of hope over experience. I have complained many times over the years (usually about under-representation of Lib Dems) without getting a satisfactory outcome.

However, this week, I was surprised that their reply acknowledged the omission:

Continue reading »
Tagged , , and | 4 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • David Le Grice
    I missed out that I'm referring to her statement in parliament about the postponement of the 2025 county elections....
  • David Le Grice
    I'm not sure that the reappointment of Angela Rayner is necessarily cause for hope. It became clear during her statement and answers to MPs questions that she h...
  • Ruth Bright
    I really would like a quiet August and I know, of course, that I will get the ducking stool for this, but surely we can do better than 20% female representation...
  • Gordon Lishman
    Thank you, Nigel. I agree entirely. I understand that Devon is considering judicial review along with some other Councils, including Portsmouth. The decisions...
  • Mark ValladaresMark Valladares
    Jana, A fair point, and I perhaps didn’t express that precisely enough, although the financial incentive to move from, say Nigeria, to the UK is rather gre...