Category Archives: News

Mary Reid

Davey: Inflation at 7% is “frankly frightening”

By Mary Reid | Wed 13th April 2022 - 1:51 pm

You might have been forgiven for not spotting one serious piece of news today that was not all about Johnson and Sunak.  It was announced that inflation has risen to 7%, the highest rate in 30 years.

The rise was partially driven by the hike in petrol prices, which of course have a knock-on effect on the prices of all consumer goods, including food.

Ed Davey has been commenting on this to the media in between talking about partygate. He says:

Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak are too busy trying to save their own jobs rather than saving pensioners and families from spiralling prices.

These new inflation figures are frankly frightening. Every day the cost of living crisis worsens yet our law-breaking leaders simply don’t seem to care. This is no way to govern Britain.

This country needs a new Chancellor in place next week to deliver an emergency budget to protect households on the brink. Pensioners and hard pressed families need urgent help with their energy bill and unfair tax hikes to be immediately reversed. It is now or never to save Britain from this cost of living crisis, and it is clear this Government is not up to the job.

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NewsHound

Davey on Partygate: “Our prime minister just doesn’t get it”

By NewsHound | Wed 13th April 2022 - 10:20 am

Ed Davey has been busy appearing almost everywhere in the media in the last two days. This morning alone, Davey has spoken to BBC R4, BBC 5 Live, BBC Breakfast and Sky News. In this article, Newshound covers the interviews on Radio 4’s Today programme and BBC Breakfast.

On Today, Davey said that he was right to criticise the police originally. They changed their policy on the investigation and have since done the job well. The country is in crisis with the cost of living emergency and Ukraine. The prime minister and chancellor were dishonest. The trust in them that is vital during a crisis has gone. They should resign. The government’s got an appalling record on the economy and now they’ve broken their own laws.

These themes were picked on BBC Breakfast, when Ed Davey also spoke with passion about families not being able to see their families for five minutes when they were dying, yet the prime minister could party for five minutes. Davey also spoke emotionally about the plight of Ukrainian refugees, saying a new leadership could be true to the compassion and generosity the British on refugees rather than imposing paperwork.

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The Voice

New policy working groups – apply by 27th April

By The Voice | Tue 12th April 2022 - 2:00 pm

The Federal Policy Committee is in the process of setting up 3 policy working groups, to report to Autumn Conference in 2023. Any party member can apply to join them.

The groups will update policy on Food and Farming, Opportunity, Skills and Training and International Security.

In an email to party members, FPC Vice Chair Lucy Nethsingha said:

Below you can see the aims of each working group:

  • Food and Farming
    This group will consider how we can improve our approach to food and farming, including looking at the future of farming and fishing, food security and supply chains, food poverty, nutrition and healthy eating, food production and animal welfare.
  • Opportunity, Skills and Training
    This group will look at giving people the skills to be successful in their lives. This will include vocational education from ages 14-19, careers advice, further education, tackling the Post-Brexit skills crisis, adult education and lifelong learning.
  • International Security
    This group will look at how the UK can strengthen its international security, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This group will address the International Security Institutional Architecture, UK Defence Policy, European Security and Defence Cooperation, Environment and Security (inc Energy Security), Economic security (eg vulnerabilities of supply chains), Combatting International terrorism, Novel threats e.g. Cyber Warfare and Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution.

The groups will start work as soon as possible, with a view to producing consultation papers for discussion at Spring Conference 2023 and final papers for debate at Autumn Conference 2023.

As a member of a working group you’ll work with other members to take evidence, identify the main challenges and develop distinctively Liberal Democrat policy that will appeal to voters and that would be effective in solving the identified problems.

You’re expected to attend regular meetings, contribute to discussion and help write papers (either through drafting or through commenting on drafts). The meetings are currently mostly taking place online, with some meetings in person in London (but with opportunity for online participation). The role is voluntary and the time commitment averages around two hours per week.

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NewsHound

Good polling news ahead of May local elections

By NewsHound | Tue 12th April 2022 - 9:41 am

In May, local elections will take place across Scotland and Wales and in many areas of England.

In a Savanta ComRes poll of 2,203 UK adults commissioned by the Lib Dems, one in five traditional Tory voters said the 1.25 per cent rise in National Insurance could put them off supporting the Conservatives. Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said Rishi Sunak has shown he is more conman than Conservative and the hike in will lead to voters taking  their fury to the ballot box in May.

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Mark Valladares

Welcome to my day: 11 April 2022 – they seek him here, they seek him there, that damned elusive Rishi Sunak…

By Mark Valladares | Mon 11th April 2022 - 7:29 am

So, who leaked the information that Rishi Sunak had retained a US Green Card up until last year? Or that his wife, Akshata Murty, was non-domiciled for tax purposes? Was it a Labour supporter within Downing Street, as originally suggested (unlikely but not impossible, I guess), or someone from the Number 10 dirty tricks team?

However the information has reached the public domain, it’s certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons. Conservative Home readers have put him in their bottom three in terms of approval ratings (+7.4%) which, given that he was second in August, with a net approval rating of +74.5%, is either a sign of how fickle Conservatives are, or that he’s a fairweather Chancellor, capable of looking generous when there’s little choice to be anything else, but poor when hard political choices are necessary. Actually, I’d suggest that it’s both.

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NewsHound

Jardine bill to force Sunak to reveal family tax arrangements

By NewsHound | Sun 10th April 2022 - 5:45 pm

The Liberal Democrats have drawn up draft legislation to force the Chancellor and any other government ministers to reveal whether they or their spouses claim non-domiciled status or have holdings in overseas tax havens.

Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Christine Jardine MP has drafted the Ministerial Tax Residency Status Bill and will present it to the House of Commons once Parliament has returned from Easter recess.

It was recently revealed that Rishi Sunak was listed as a beneficiary of tax haven trusts set up in the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands and held by his wife Akshata Murthy – just days after it emerged she was using her non-domiciled status to avoid paying taxes in the UK.

Ed Davey has written to the Cabinet Secretary and to Lord Geidt, the Prime Minister’s Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests, calling on them to investigate whether Sunak has broken the Ministerial Code.

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The Voice

Save the date: Two events to remember Erlend on 23 May

By The Voice | Sat 9th April 2022 - 1:15 pm

News reaches us via Ed Fordham of two memorial events for party legend Erlend Watson, who sadly passed away on 25th January.

Memorial Service for George Erlend Watson (in two parts)

Memorial Service (1)
3pm on Monday 23rd May 2022
St Olav’s, The Norweigian Church and Seaman’s Mission
1 St Olav Square, Albion Street, Rotherhithe, London. SE16 7JB

Memorial Glee Club (2)
5.30pm also on Monday 23rd May 2022
National Liberal Club,
1 Whitehall Place, Westminster, London, SW1A 2HE
(the formal proceedings will be over by 6.30pm)

Donations in aid of The Royal Papworth Hospital Charity, Cambridge.

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NewsHound

Chamberlain: We won’t end homelessness with the same old ineffective solutions

By NewsHound | Fri 8th April 2022 - 7:31 am

In the Times Red Box yesterday, Wendy Chamberlain tackled the continuing issue of homelessness, especially in rural areas.

When asked to think about homelessness, it’s easy to conjure up a mental image of a man, sleeping in a doorway, somewhere in the centre of a big city. When the media reports on homelessness, that’s the stock photo.

But the reality can be very different…

People who experience homelessness are all genders; families as well as single people; spanning all backgrounds. And homelessness is a problem in rural communities as much as it is in large, urban areas.

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Dominic Raab: Blue Wall under serious attack from the Lib Dems

By Andy Boddington | Thu 7th April 2022 - 8:17 am

Four weeks today, there are local elections across the country, including for Elmbridge Borough Council where the Tories are already running scared.

In a letter to Conservative members in his Esher and Walton constituency, Dominic Raab warns that:

”We are under serious attack from the Lib Dems. We are now their top target seat in the country!”

In a letter co-signed by the Chairman of the Esher and Walton Conservative Association, Raab shows he is not only running scared, he’s running broke:

“Unless our local Esher and Walton Conservative Association can raise significant funding, we risk losing ground in the local elections in May, which would undermine our position locally.”

He called on Conservatives to help put bricks back into the Blue Wall by making donations of between £20 and £5,000.

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NewsHound

Jo Cox Foundation calls on election candidates to take Civility Pledge

By NewsHound | Wed 6th April 2022 - 2:18 pm

We have received an interesting press release from the Jo Cox Foundation which we want to share with our readers.

It reads:

Ahead of local elections across the UK on 5 May 2022, polling from the Jo Cox Foundation (conducted by ICM Unlimited) shows that over half (54%) of the public would be less likely to vote for a political candidate who spoke insultingly about others in the running, as the charity calls for candidates from all parties to promise to campaign respectfully.

With official candidate lists for the local elections expected to be published today (6 April), the Jo Cox Foundation is urging candidates up for election on 5 May to publicly lead by example in rejecting abuse, by sharing their Civility Pledge on social media.

Su Moore, CEO of the Jo Cox Foundation, said:

“We strongly believe robust debate and scrutiny are essential aspects of public life, but abuse and intimidation shouldn’t be. Jo was passionate about encouraging more women to be active in political life – women make up 51% of the UK adult population but only 35% of MPs. Yet evidence has shown that abuse at all levels disproportionately impacts women. In order to ensure our politics is truly representative, we need to stamp out abuse and champion civility instead.

“What this polling shows is that civil behaviour from politicians is important to voters too. Change must begin at the highest levels and we strongly urge all those up for election this May to set an example by pledging to uphold the dignity of all candidates.”

If you’re running for election next month, visit the Civility Pledge webpage for instructions on how to share your pledge.

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Mary Reid

Church leaders join to oppose trans conversion therapy in a beautifully written letter

By Mary Reid | Wed 6th April 2022 - 9:30 am

The letter below was sent by a number of prominent Church leaders to the Prime Minister.

It may not be immediately obvious to all readers that the signatories represent a wide range of viewpoints and theology with the broader Christian church, but they have united around this one theme.

Whether you have a faith or not, I think we must all agree that the letter is beautifully written, and expressed with great humanity.

To be trans is to enter a sacred journey of becoming whole: precious, honoured and loved, by yourself, by others and by God.

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Mark Valladares

5 April 2022 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 5th April 2022 - 11:05 pm
  • Sunak to cash in £40 billion VAT windfall as families face cost of living crisis
  • Brand Putin’s armies and mercenaries as terrorists in response to atrocities

Sunak to cash in £40 billion VAT windfall as families face cost of living crisis

  • Rishi Sunak set to rake in an extra £38.6 billion in VAT over next four years due to soaring prices
  • Typical family to pay £430 more in VAT next year, on top of National Insurance rise coming into force today
  • Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey launches local election campaign with call to slash VAT and save struggling families £600

The Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to rake in an extra £38.6 billion in VAT over the next four years, as skyrocketing inflation leads to higher prices in the shops, official forecasts have revealed.

Analysis by the Liberal Democrats shows this means a typical family will pay an estimated £430 more in VAT next year, compared to what they paid in 2021-22. The figures are taken from the latest forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility.

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Phil Bennion

2022 Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy

By Phil Bennion | Tue 5th April 2022 - 5:29 pm

EDITOR NOTE: some of this report contains references to torture and abuse.

I arrived in Geneva last night for the first time in two years for the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, an annual event raising the plight of political prisoners worldwide and drawing attention to human rights abuses by state actors. It is always a privilege to be in the company of the speakers, who are variously former political prisoners, family members and representatives of prisoners and front line human rights defenders.

The event at the UN was opened by the Canadian permanent mission to the UN who asked for full support for the suspension of Russia from the Human Rights Council this week.

The first speaker was Nazanin Boniadi, an Iranian human rights defender who focusses on the denial of due process in Iranian courts and torture of defendants. She pointed out that 72 deaths have occurred in custody in a decade.

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Mark Valladares

4 April 2022 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 4th April 2022 - 10:30 pm
  • Conservative MPs must rediscover their moral compass and get rid of the PM
  • Conversion Therapy: Chaotic u-turns shredding UK’s reputation
  • Channel 4 privatisation is “trashing a uniquely British legacy”

Conservative MPs must rediscover their moral compass and get rid of the PM

Responding to government minister Simon Hart’s comments this morning that “the world has moved on” from partygate, Liberal Democrat Christine Jardine MP said:

These comments are an insult to every family that suffered in lockdown while Downing Street partied.

Boris Johnson’s Conservatives have got something else coming if they think the public has moved on from this shameful scandal.

Boris Johnson broke the rules he asked us all to obey then repeatedly lied about it. Conservative MPs must rediscover their moral compass and get rid of him.

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Michal Siewniak

How to persuade a Brexit voter to support you in the Local Elections?

By Michal Siewniak | Mon 4th April 2022 - 9:02 am

As I am writing this article, there are thirty-two days until the next local elections. As someone who is standing, we are entering the last stages of the campaign. The finish line is quite close!

This year, in order to know how much time, effort and energy I invested in campaigning, I decided to create a simple timesheet. It is nice to see that since October 2021, I have spent twenty-five hours door knocking, more than twenty-five hours delivering our leaflets and another ten meeting our delivery network. I hope that the outcome will be positive for me and our local Welwyn Hatfield Liberal Democrat team.

I’ve said it a few times but I really enjoy door knocking. I like meeting people, discussing current local and at times, national and global matters. I am learning to become a better listener. Without being judgmental, it is good to find out why people vote in a certain way or why they support a particular policy.

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The Liberator Collective

Issue 412 of Liberator out – Ukraine, Erlend, Extinction Rebellion

By The Liberator Collective | Sun 3rd April 2022 - 8:25 am

Liberator 412 can be downloaded here . This is the April 2022 online-only edition of Liberator and we hope you enjoy reading it.

What’s inside this issue?

Alongside Radical Bulletin, Commentary and Letters, Liberator 412 includes:

UKRAINE’S COMEDIAN PRESIDENT IS NO COMIC.

Kiron Reid saw great hope on democracy’s eastern border in Ukraine when this article was published in Liberator 398 in November 2019 after the election of Volodymyr Zelenskyy as president. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we reprint it here, followed by some necessarily anonymous reflections on Ukraine now and the path to war from an observer

…

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The Voice

Government U-turns on gay conversion therapy, but still allows it for trans people

By The Voice | Fri 1st April 2022 - 3:57 pm

Yesterday we acknowledged the Transgender Day of Visibility with a post that highlighted comments from a number of Liberal Democrats.

In that post we mentioned that the Government had decided not to ban conversion therapy, to much consternation.

Amazingly, overnight the Government has U-turned again and is now planning to bring forward legislation to ban conversion therapy in the next Queen’s speech. But – and a very big but – the ban will not cover trans people.

On the one hand it is pleasing that gay conversion therapy will at last be outlawed. But it is deeply disappointing that trans conversion therapy will still be allowed.

Now we should start by saying that counselling and psychotherapy should, of course, be made available to all people who are considering transitioning. It is a complex and difficult journey to take, and many will be helped to understand themselves better through professional help. But the key here is “professional” – someone who is fully trained and recognised by their professional bodies. Such people do not approach sessions with any preconceived notions about what the outcome should be for their client, except that they should emerge with a clearer understanding of themselves.

Conversion therapy is different. Last year many professional bodies, including the NHS, signed the updated Memorandum of understanding on conversion therapy in the UK. It states:

Conversion therapy is the term for therapy that assumes certain sexual orientations or gender identities are inferior to others, and seeks to change or suppress them on that basis.

The 2017 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) makes it clear that conversion therapy in relation to gender identity and sexual orientation (including asexuality) is unethical, potentially harmful and is not supported by evidence. It updates the 2015 version released at the Department of Health, which focused exclusively on sexual orientation.

It is truly shameful that the Government now wants to allow the practice to continue for trans people.

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Mary Reid

Today’s stories

By Mary Reid | Fri 1st April 2022 - 1:24 pm

We hope you enjoyed this morning’s post.

This time last year we were musing on whether the party should take over a cruise ship for our Autumn Conference. It seems The Guardian has had a similar brainwave in relation to the superyachts owned by Russian oligarchs.

Meanwhile, Tim Farron had a splendid idea.

He also seems to be involved in this tweet with some dodgy Dad dancing.

And again.

Now Nick gets in on the act.

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The Voice

Lib Dems take action to clean up language

By The Voice | Fri 1st April 2022 - 7:55 am

Tucked away at the end of the Agenda for Spring Conference we find this constitutional amendment:

In Article 20.1, delete ‘not less than’ and insert ‘not fewer than’ on both occasions.

What is not immediately apparent is that such grammatical errors could result in disciplinary action in future.

In an attempt to smarten up communications the party can now apply sanctions to anyone who violates good grammar in public-facing documents such as Focus leaflets and press releases. Any party member responsible for such errors will have to attend training. If they refuse, they face expulsion.

Here are some examples of the kinds of errors they have in mind.

  • Confusing ‘less’ and ‘fewer’. Hint: ‘less’ goes with a singular noun, while ‘fewer’ goes with a plural.
  • Using ‘different to’ instead of ‘different from’.
  • Misplaced or omitted apostrophes. Hint: an apostrophe usually indicates that a letter has been left out (but not always …) or the word is in the possessive form (but not always …)
  • Semi-colons at the end of bullet points; Or full stops. Or commas,
  • Two or more spaces between sentences.    This is on the insistence of the Party President.
  • Treating data or media as singular nouns.
  • Starting a sentence with ‘But’ or ‘Or’.  Or ‘And’.
  • The Heidelberg colon. This should not be used under any circumstances.
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The Voice

Liberal Democrats mark Transgender Day of Visibility

By The Voice | Thu 31st March 2022 - 9:40 pm

Today is the Transgender Day of Visibility, our chance to celebrate transgender and non binary people and raise awareness of the issues affecting them.  Liberal Democrats have a proud history of supporting rights for transgender and non binary people.

Here’s how some in the party have marked the day:

 

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NewsHound

Christine Jardine calls for planning changes to protect women

By NewsHound | Thu 31st March 2022 - 1:02 pm

Christine Jardine is to bring forward a bill in the Commons which would make it a legal requirement for women’s safety to be published as a condition of planning approval for major developments.

An assessment of the impact on women’s safety would need to be published as a condition of planning approval for major developments.

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Mary Reid

Thousands of Ukrainian refugees left in limbo

By Mary Reid | Wed 30th March 2022 - 5:52 pm

We have all been shocked (though perhaps not surprised) to learn of the bureaucratic processes that have faced Ukrainian refugees who want to come to the UK.

New statistics on the Homes for Ukraine scheme reveal that fewer that 10% of applicants have been granted a visa. That actual figures are 2,700 visa issued against 28,300 applications under the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.

Alistair Carmichael, our Home Affairs spokesperson said:

More than 150,000 families are offering to welcome refugees into their homes, but the Conservatives are offering only red tape and delays. Their response has been appallingly slow and chaotic, leaving thousands of Ukrainians in limbo trying to get a visa.

Ministers need to work harder and faster to match the compassion shown by the British public.

Ukrainian refugees should be allowed to come to the UK now, without first having to apply for a visa. And the Government should set up a fast, ambitious resettlement scheme, working with refugee agencies to bring Ukrainians directly to the UK.

The media are united in their outrage.

The Guardian: ‘False hope’: refugee charity attacks UK’s Homes for Ukraine scheme

The Independent: ‘Woeful’ 2,700 visas granted under new Ukrainian refugee sponsorship scheme

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The Voice

Ed Davey: Boris Johnson must resign over “Partygate” fines

By The Voice | Tue 29th March 2022 - 12:30 pm

Ed Davey’s response to the news that the Metroplitan Police have issued an initial 20 fixed penalty notices over the Downing Street Parties held during Covid restrictions was short and sharp. (Plain text below.)

If Boris Johnson thinks he can get away with partygate by paying expensive lawyers and throwing junior staff to the wolves, he is wrong.

We all know who is responsible. The Prime Minister must resign, or Conservative MPs must sack him.

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The Voice

Wera Hobhouse calls for misogyny to be made a hate crime after research reveals women killed by men in 28% of murders

By The Voice | Tue 29th March 2022 - 11:30 am

House of Commons Library Research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has today revealed that 28% of all murder cases since 2016 are women murdered by men.

Since the brutal murder of Sarah Everard last year in March, the data shows that 109 women have been murdered where men were the main suspect, representing more than 2 women per week. This is out of 414 murder victims overall, equalling 26% of all murder cases.

Our Women and Equalities Spokesperson, Wera Hobhouse MP has slammed the Government for turning a blind eye to anti-women hatred and refusing to take violence against women and girls seriously.

Liberal Democrats have accused the Government of ‘turning a blind-eye’ to violence against women and girls, choosing to bury their head in the sand.

Wera said:

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Mark Valladares

Welcome (belatedly) to my day: 28 March 2022 – Let the People Sing?

By Mark Valladares | Mon 28th March 2022 - 7:50 pm

I’m on my way back from an event at the University of Bradford, which might explain today’s very slow start today. And, for those of you who know Bradford, you’ll have recognised the picture. For those of you who don’t, the statue of J B Priestly stands in front of the National Science and Media Museum.

Universities have suffered rather badly under recent Conservative administrations. Brexit has impacted on students coming here via the Erasmus programme, and research has been impacted by arguments over our participation in the Horizon 2020 programme. Throw in the impact of culture warriors with blue rosettes, and it’s been difficult to balance budgets and attract talent from beyond our shores.

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Mark Valladares

Use bumper energy profits to scrap ‘grossly unfair’ energy bill postcode lottery

By Mark Valladares | Mon 28th March 2022 - 2:52 pm

The Liberal Democrats have called for the scrapping of the regional differences in electricity and gas bills, which is seeing some households paying £124 more for their gas and electricity just because of where they live.

The UK is broken up into fourteen different pricing regions where it costs different amounts to get electricity and gas to people’s homes. This leads to people in the North of Scotland, Wales and South West England paying more for their gas and electricity bills than other parts of the country.

Analysis by the Liberal Democrats shows that households in North Wales and Merseyside pay …

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Mary Reid

Ofcom appointment: process rigged from the start

By Mary Reid | Fri 25th March 2022 - 10:57 am

Jamie Stone has been making his feelings known on the appointment of Michael Grade as Chair of Ofcom. Jamie is our spokesperson for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

He says:

This process has been rigged from the start. Michael Grade’s obvious dislike of his former workplaces BBC and Channel 4 should have ruled him out from the get go.

In the midst of the Ukraine crisis and the past years of pandemic, the chair of Ofcom should be a strong independent voice defending the integrity of our iconic public broadcasters – not a card carrying Conservative critic hurling abuse from the sidelines.

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NewsHound

Hobhouse on sibling sexual abuse

By NewsHound | Wed 23rd March 2022 - 5:03 pm

Speaking yesterday in Westminster Hall, Wera Hobhouse tackled the “hugely difficult and harrowing” subject of sibling sexual abuse which, she said, can have “devastating, lifelong consequences”. The child who has harmed often has to deal with the dichotomy of their actions as a child and who they are now as an adult. Parents are often faced with the “double dilemma” of trying to support both of the children involved, dealing with school, social services, children’s services and police investigations, as well as unaffected siblings, friends and extended family. Criminal justice is not the answer to tackling sibling sexual abuse; we need health and education to work together and take a trauma-informed approach.

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NewsHound

Lib Dem reaction to the Spring Statement

By NewsHound | Wed 23rd March 2022 - 4:02 pm

In his budget today, Rishi Sunak cut fuel duty by 5p a litre, raised the threshold at which workers start paying national insurance by £3,000 a year and announced a future 1% reduction in income tax.

But the OBR said almost 3 million more people will be brought into paying income because the income tax threshold has been frozen. Ed Davey said:

This tax bombshell will send a shiver down the spine of families who are drowning in spiralling bills.

Rishi Sunak is trying to swindle the British public by burying the true cost of his disgraceful tax hikes. He has insulted millions of squeezed families across the country by thinking he can hide this in the small print. Rishi Sunak is following Boris Johnson’s lead by not being up front and honest with the country.

Tim Farron was scathing about the fuel duty cut:

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NewsHound

Farron: Nationality and Borders Bill worst legislation I’ve seen in 17 years

By NewsHound | Wed 23rd March 2022 - 8:30 am

In a passionate speech in the House of Commons yesterday, Tim Farron condemned the Nationality and Borders Bill saying it is based on a bogus premise, that we are swamped by asylum seekers. He slammed the “utterly bogus, completely contrived and arbitrary notion” that asylum seekers should be treated if they got here by illegal routes.

Farron asked why are we not granting asylum seekers the right to work? He said if MPs vote for this Bill, “they are voting for deaths in the channel”. People come here not because of the pull factor, but because of the push factor and …

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