Category Archives: News

Mark Valladares

11 June 2020 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 11th June 2020 - 10:30 pm
  • Lib Dems lead cross party push for more diverse curriculum
  • Yet more dishonesty from the Govt on test and trace system

Lib Dems lead cross party push for more diverse curriculum

The Liberal Democrats have secured cross party support for a bid to review the national curriculum in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests to combat “institutional racism in the UK”.

In a letter to the Education Secretary coordinated by Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Layla Moran, MPs from across the political spectrum call for the inclusion of “a more diverse range of historical perspectives in our curriculum”. The cross-party group request …

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The Voice

The challenges of social distancing when you are blind

By The Voice | Thu 11th June 2020 - 2:51 pm

The Royal National Institute for the Blind has launched a video today, highlighting the ways in which we can support blind and partially sighted people as they negotiate social distancing.

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NewsHound

Lib Dems propose support package for employers to keep workers safe as lockdown eases

By NewsHound | Thu 11th June 2020 - 8:15 am

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to help businesses draw up risk assessments to keep their employees safe as they return to work, and to establish a Coronavirus Safety Hotline for whistleblowers to report unsafe workplaces.

The party has emphasised that anyone who can work from home must continue to do so in line with the current public health guidance, and that this must remain the case until the Government has scaled up testing and tracing sufficiently to stop the spread of coronavirus.

The measures, set out today by Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey, are …

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Mark Valladares

10 June 2020 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 10th June 2020 - 10:35 pm
  • Lib Dems propose support package for employers to keep workers safe as lockdown eases (to be published here tomorrow)
  • Davey: UK needs Green Recovery Plan to counter COVID-19 economic damage
  • PM must take charge and ensure deprived children aren’t left behind
  • Davey: PM must abolish suspicion-less stop and search
  • Davey statement after call with the PM
  • Govt must commit to inquiry into handling of COVID-19

Davey: UK needs Green Recovery Plan to counter COVID-19 economic damage

Responding to an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report that predicts the UK economy will shrink by 11.5% and experience the worst economic contraction among developed countries due to the coronavirus, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:

Coronavirus has proven to be a bigger threat to people’s jobs and livelihoods than even the financial crash. People are rightly worried about their jobs, their families and their communities. We must ensure no one is left behind.

The UK desperately needs a Green Recovery Plan. We can rebuild the economy and protect the environment by creating jobs through embracing new, green technologies.

The Prime Minister must also stop the double-whammy of a no-deal by ending the uncertainly and extend the Brexit transition period, protecting access to markets across Europe.

We can also now see, by international standards, the Government failed to prepare properly for a pandemic and has been slow to act. There must be an independent inquiry to review the Government’s actions.

PM must take charge and ensure deprived children aren’t left behind

The Liberal Democrats have called on Boris Johnson to take charge of the crisis facing schools and ensure disadvantaged children are not left behind, accusing Gavin Williamson of having “dropped the ball.”

It comes after the former Head of Ofsted, Sir Michael Wilshaw, this morning said the Government’s failure to consult with teachers over its plans was “absolutely astonishing.”

Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Layla Moran said

Parents and teachers have raised concerns from the outset about how to get pupils safely back into school, but Gavin Williamson has refused to listen. It’s no surprise this whole process has descended into a complete shambles.

Time and again the Education Secretary has dropped the ball, from refusing to extend free school meals over the summer to leaving thousands of disadvantaged children without laptops.

Boris Johnson must take charge and end the stubborn refusal to extend free school meals over the summer and provide laptops to all disadvantaged children who need them.

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Avril Coelho

Post shielding face masks for extremely disabled passengers

By Avril Coelho | Wed 10th June 2020 - 6:00 pm

I have been shielding for months due to a medical condition listed as extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 but keeping in touch with work. Over the last few months, I’ve been updated with changing company policy and watching the Government updates closely.

Workplace pay was revised in line with the Government’s change of advice for those who no longer need to be shielded. If my condition had been less severe, I’d be back to work now instead of staying safe at home.

Around the same time, TfL emailed me to say that from the 15th June face masks will be mandatory on public transport. They ought to be already based on video and photos I’ve seen. Buses will not take the usual number of passengers to allow for social distancing aboard so spaces will be limited, and people might have to wait for the next bus. Not all bus stops have seats, many disabled people can’t remain standing for long, and drivers can’t recognise hidden disabilities. Many buses are still using middle or rear doors too for driver safety.

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Caroline Pidgeon

A letter from Caroline Pidgeon AM to the Mayor of London

By Caroline Pidgeon | Wed 10th June 2020 - 3:30 pm

Dear Sadiq,

Re: Concerns for London’s Charity Shops

As we know, many businesses and organisations are facing unprecedented challenges in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. I wanted to write to you about some specific concerns I have for charity shops, a staple of our high streets in London.

Charity shops provide essential revenue for charities in London and across the UK. They are important for all charities, but particularly important for those smaller charities who rely heavily on the income from their charity shops. Furthermore, charity chops provide an affordable place for many people to shop in London and are a lifeline for many in terms of purchasing goods they would otherwise be unable to afford.

An often-underrated benefit of charity shops is also that they are a greener and more environmentally sustainable way to shop – promoting the reuse of items, whilst providing a profit for good causes.

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David McKenzie

I applaud the Bristol protest

By David McKenzie | Wed 10th June 2020 - 1:30 pm

I feel compelled to write this article after reading an opposing op-ed around ‘mob rule’ regarding the toppling of the Edward Colston statue last weekend. I personally haven’t commented on the actions of the Bristol protest thus far, today I want to say I applaud and stand with those who acted on Sunday.

Let me be honest and frank; at first, I was in two minds about the actions of the protest. I wasn’t sure if these were the ‘correct’ actions on the day, then I realised something, and it’s something we all have to…It’s not my place as a white male to dictate how anyone should feel about a statue of a man who profiteered from the slave trade.

For the people spouting its historical significance in the media, let me say this. We record history in books and museums, statues are built with one purpose to venerate and glorify its subject. I personally don’t see there’s a debatable position on this; he profiteered from the suffering and enslavement of people! I really couldn’t care if he subsequently bequeathed said ill-gotten gains to parts of Bristol…it’s blood money, pure and simple!

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Joe Dodd

Green Liberal Democrats conference is happening online

By Joe Dodd | Wed 10th June 2020 - 9:00 am

Green Liberal Democrats Green Liberal Democrats

As the pandemic rolls on, the climate and nature crisis lurk in the background. The air is cleaner in cities. The birdsong appears clearer. We appreciate the outdoors more than ever. Moreover, commuters are discovering the joy of cycling for the first time.

Meanwhile, the price of oil has plummeted, and, the UK is running without coal for the longest time since the industrial revolution – thanks in no small part to the Liberal Democrats’ achievements in government.

It’s also increasingly apparent that air pollution contributed to higher death rates while the outbreak of the virus itself was made the more likely by our destruction of nature.

We need to keep some of the benefits of lockdown and ensure the economic recovery is invested in green jobs and not the fossil fuel industries that got us here in the first place. The Green Liberal Democrats have been campaigning for the UK government to attach ambitious climate targets to any bailouts of dirty industries. Is this what will become known as “2020 Vision”? As we remove our smudged spectacles, the destruction of the natural environment can no longer be brushed under the rug (or spilled into the Arctic circle in the case of Russia).

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Mark Valladares

10 June 2020 – the overnight press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 10th June 2020 - 8:15 am
  • Record levels of domestic abuse demands tougher law, warn Lib Dems
  • New flexible employment rights for carers in new Bill proposed by Ed Davey

Record levels of domestic abuse demands tougher law, warn Lib Dems

Responding to reports from the NSPCC that children impacted by domestic abuse have soared to an average of one an hour during the coronavirus lockdown, Liberal Democrat Homes Affairs spokesperson Christine Jardine said:

Domestic abuse leaves a devasting, lifelong impact on survivors. To know that cases have spiked to a record level during the coronavirus lockdown is terrifying.

Ministers must act. Not only must the Government address shortages

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Mark Valladares

9 June 2020 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 9th June 2020 - 10:45 pm
  • Lib Dems secure cross-party call for Govt to take up Hong Kong Bill
  • Govt must prevent disadvantaged pupils falling behind due to COVID-19
  • Govt must help businesses and people excluded from support schemes
  • Govt wrong to deny Brexit extension

Lib Dems secure cross-party call for Govt to take up Hong Kong Bill

The Liberal Democrats have secured cross-party support demanding the Prime Minister take up legislation to go further in UK support for Hong Kong.

The cross-party groups of MPs, led by Alistair Carmichael MP, has secured the support of former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in calling for a UK response to Beijing’s recent attempts to force a new national security law on Hong Kong.

Amidst reports of Hong Kong police firing tear gas and water cannons at several hundred demonstrators, the Government announced last week new measures to support visa rights and a path to citizenship for current British Nationals (Overseas) holders in Hong Kong.

However, the cross-party group of over 50 MPs want the Government to go further and take up Alistair Carmichael’s Hong Kong Bill for parliamentary consideration, which would also ensure greater oversight over each party’s adherence to the Sino-British Joint Declaration.

Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said:

MPs from all parties and all political persuasions are backing Hong Kong with one voice today. We are calling on the Government to take up the Hong Kong Bill on a cross-party basis for debate and amendment. This is a critical moment.

That the Government has started to take action to support BNO status holders is welcome. We can and must go further, however. Measures including targeted sanctions and a reopening of the BNO passport offer deserve a full hearing.

Beijing is on the verge of wiping out the basic freedoms of Hongkongers with its draconian law. The Government must stand with us and take up legislative action to support the people of Hong Kong.

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NewsHound

“Indefensible for statue to be standing in Bristol in 2020” – Lib Dems speak out on Colston

By NewsHound | Tue 9th June 2020 - 6:30 pm

Leading Liberal Democrats have been speaking out on the controversy surrounding Sunday’s public removal of the Edward Colston statue in Bristol.

Wera Hobhouse, who is MP for neighbouring Bath, wrote on her website:

…it was indefensible for the statue to be standing in Bristol in 2020. Protestors literally took things into their own hands and toppled the statue. This was a symbolic act.

History is dynamic. It is not fixed. Yesterday was part of the history of race relations, not only here in the South West, but for our nation as a whole.

We must face up to, accept and learn from all aspects of our nation’s history. Not only the parts of our history that we are proud of, but the parts of our history that are corrupt and that we are ashamed of.

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Mark Valladares

8 June 2020 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 8th June 2020 - 11:50 pm
  • Empty pharma stockpiles show govt must rethink transition extension
  • Covid-19 infection rate in Welsh prisons tops 20%
  • Derisory increase in asylum support is appalling
  • Testing announcement shows protective ring around care homes claim untrue
  • Rees-Mogg must follow through on promises to look at voting rights for carers

Empty pharma stockpiles show govt must rethink transition extension

Responding to reports that No Deal Brexit stockpiles “significantly reduced and/or used up entirely” by Covid pandemic, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:

These reports show the recklessness of the government’s approach to Brexit negotiations and protecting our economy and NHS.

The stockpiles created to protect against the risk of a no deal Brexit have now been used up, and building them back up to safe levels by the end of the year is going to be very difficult.

So by pushing the UK into a no deal Brexit the Conservatives could be putting more lives and more jobs at risk.

The calls to extend the transition period have come from people who voted leave and remain a like. The government must put national interest ahead of Brexit ideology and extend the transition period.

Covid-19 infection rate in Welsh prisons tops 20%

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have reacted with shock at the situation of Covid-19 in Welsh Prisons, after new figures reveal an infection rate of more than 20% for inmates.

Figures published by the UK Department for Justice have shown that Wales has 165 recorded cases of Covid-19 within prisons. This represents 12.4% of cases across England & Wales, with 1,329 total cases being logged – 882 Staff, 447 Prisoners.

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Mark Valladares

8 June 2020 – the overnight press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 8th June 2020 - 8:15 am
  • Lib Dems to use emergency debate to warn Rees-Mogg is threatening public health
  • Covid-19 has exposed politics as not fit for purpose, Lib Dems warn

Lib Dems to use emergency debate to warn Rees-Mogg is threatening public health

The Liberal Democrats will today use an emergency debate in Parliament to warn Jacob Rees-Mogg that if an MP falls ill to COVID-19 or there is a spike in cases because of travel to and from London then he must take personal responsibility and resign.

The debate, secured by Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Alistair Carmichael MP, was agreed following alarm at Business Secretary Alok Sharma becoming …

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Mark Valladares

6-7 June 2020 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 7th June 2020 - 10:40 pm
  • Govt failing NHS staff and care workers
  • Govt must not sleep walk into a second peak

Govt failing NHS staff and care workers

Responding to reports that NHS trusts were not consulted over new face coverings rule, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:

This is yet another betrayal by the Government of the NHS and care staff who are putting their lives on the line every single day.

Why is the Secretary of State prioritising press conference announcements over consultation with NHS staff? Now we face a situation where our stretched and under-resourced NHS is having to adapt to these new

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Caron Lindsay

The realities of everyday racism – Lib Dem Federal Board member Joyce Onstad shares her story

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 7th June 2020 - 7:00 pm

Liberal Democrat Federal Board member Joyce Onstad had a video chat with her minister in which she describes some of the realities of everyday racism that she has had to deal with in her life.

She describes first becoming aware of racism in this country when she came to live here 24 years ago. She heard of black children being told that they should aim to be footballers rather than doctors.

She went on to describe how she would apply for jobs in her own name – and get rejection letters. When she applied under her married name, she got interviews.

Watch the conversation here.

Conversation with Joyce Onstad on Racism and Racial Injustice from St Paul’s Ealing on Vimeo.

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Caron Lindsay

Jamie Stone to Jacob Rees-Mogg “You’re talking bollocks!”

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 6th June 2020 - 1:26 pm

One of the most awful things about Jacob Rees-Mogg’s intransigence over ending the virtual Parliament is the position it has put MPs with caring responsibilities in.

Although Mogg reluctantly agreed that MPs who were shielding could get  a proxy vote, but he will not because he is caring for his disabled wife and not shielding himself.  This is incredibly unjust.

In normal times, Jamie was able to travel to Westminster with the help of carers who came in to look after his wife, Flora. Because of the risk of spreading the virus, the carers are not coming in any more. Jamie and others in that position should not have to choose between doing their jobs and looking after the people who depend on them when it is perfectly possible for him to do both.

Jacob Rees-Mogg moaned about MPs tweeting about casting parliamentary votes while out for a walk. It’s kind of like when people said that the coronation shouldn’t be televised because it would be watched by men in public houses with their hats on. A horrible, them and us elitist view of people’s place in life. The ruling elite runs thing and the governed just have to put up with it.

Anyway Jamie has been talking to Politics Joe about the whole thing – in some fairly frank terms. Enjoy the video here.

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Mark Valladares

5 June 2020 – today’s press releases (part 2)

By Mark Valladares | Fri 5th June 2020 - 11:30 pm
  • Tariff proposals show Johnson’s willing to break his word on Brexit yet again
  • Govt must be clear on process for regional COVID-19 lockdowns
  • Lib Dems push to strengthen support for survivors in Domestic Abuse Bill
  • Davey: Coronavirus death toll a national tragedy

Tariff proposals show Johnson’s willing to break his word on Brexit yet again

Responding to reports that the UK Government is considering accepting tariffs as part of any UK-EU transition deal, Liberal Democrat Brexit and Foreign Affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said:

This proposal is the latest chapter in a long story of the Brexit reality failing to meet Boris Johnson’s rhetoric.

Johnson told British businesses, including farmers, they’d have tariff free access to the EU market.

But just as he promised Northern Irish businesses that there would be no checks in the Irish Sea, and consumers that we wouldn’t have chlorinated chickens on our shelves, it seems that this too is an issue he is willing to break his word on.

The Government risks selling out UK farmers and industry all for their ideological Brexit.

Govt must be clear on process for regional COVID-19 lockdowns

A Cambridge University and PHE England study has suggested the decline in the COVID-19 death rate in England may arrest by mid-June. Responding to this, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Health, Wellbeing and Social Care Munira Wilson said:

Scientists and public health officials sounded the alarm when the Government eased lockdown this week, given the COVID-19 risk level is still “high”. These findings show that they were right to advise caution.

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Mark Valladares

5 June 2020 – today’s press releases (part 1)

By Mark Valladares | Fri 5th June 2020 - 11:10 pm
  • Lib Dems: Ministers must commit now to any recommendations from inequalities inquiry
  • ONS figures highlight the devastating COVID-19 care home crisis
  • Lib Dems call for legally binding targets to restore natural world
  • Lib Dems: Extend Brexit transition now

Lib Dems: Ministers must commit now to any recommendations from inequalities inquiry

Responding to the announcement that the Equalities and Human Rights Commission will lead an inquiry into the racial inequalities exposed by the coronavirus outbreak, Liberal Democrat Equalities Spokesperson Christine Jardine said:

The consequences of the coronavirus crisis are exacerbated for some communities by the existing inequalities in our society. The announcement that the Equalities and Human Rights Commission will investigate the disproportionate impact the virus has had on people from different ethnic minorities is particularly welcome considering Public Health England’s report earlier this week offered no proposed Government action.

The EHRC’s Inquiry will set out clear recommendations and Ministers must commit now to following them. The Liberal Democrats want to see a government-wide plan to tackle BAME inequalities, with a review by the Equality and Human Rights Commission to determine whether its funding is adequate. Once the Inquiry has been carried out, the Government should set this in motion with their recommendations.

Too many individuals have lost their lives to coronavirus, and we know that a disproportionate number of those we have tragically lost are from BAME communities. It is clear that not only does the Government need to do more to tackle the spread of the virus, but it also needs to do more to tackle the injustice and inequality in our society.

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Mark Valladares

4 June 2020 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 4th June 2020 - 10:30 pm
  • PM must ensure COVID-19 vaccine is free of charge to all
  • Lib Dems: Govt must do more to protect the vulnerable from modern slavery
  • Lib Dems: Face mask announcement yet another example of Govt’s slow response

PM must ensure COVID-19 vaccine is free of charge to all

The Liberal Democrats have urged the Prime Minister to ensure a coronavirus vaccine is patent free, affordable for all governments and free of charge to all.

The call comes as the Prime Minister today hosts a Global Vaccine Summit in London.

The Liberal Democrats are also calling on the Prime Minister to endorse the WHO COVID Technology Access Pool …

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The Voice

Kirsty Williams on re-opening schools in Wales

By The Voice | Thu 4th June 2020 - 3:08 pm

It was good to see Welsh Education minister, Kirsty Williams, fronting a press conference yesterday on the re-opening of schools in Wales.

In contrast to Boris Johnson’s plans for England, which have generated widespread concern, Wales is taking a more cautious and devolved approach. All schools there will re-open on 29th June, staggering attendance to ensure that only a third of pupils will be on site at any one time. Schools and councils will decide how that is to be implemented locally, phasing in the scheme to suit local conditions.

Term dates will be adjusted, with a week’s extension to the summer term and a two week half term break in October.

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Mark Valladares

Daily View 2×2: 4 June 2020

By Mark Valladares | Thu 4th June 2020 - 7:30 am

2 big stories

Alok Sharma is awaiting the outcome of his COVID-19 test, having caused the suspension of business in the Commons yesterday after showing signs of ill health whilst at the dispatch box. Perhaps the message will finally get through to Jacob Rees-Mogg that his caricature of parliamentary democracy should come to an end? Or are his intentions sinister rather than ill-advised?

One of the less immediately apparent impacts of the pandemic is a crisis in local government finance, with many councils now dependent to varying degrees on income from commercial property assets and commercial services. The crisis in the …

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Mark Valladares

3 June 2020 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 3rd June 2020 - 11:00 pm
  • Welsh Lib Dems welcome plans for phased school re-opening
  • China is being wilfully ignorant with Hong Kong response
  • Govt not clear on legal powers to implement local lockdowns
  • Govt must not risk going backwards on containing COVID-19
  • MPs need to urgently restore the virtual Parliament

Welsh Lib Dems welcome plans for phased school re-opening

Commenting on Kirsty Williams’s announcement of a phased return to school from the end of the month, Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds said:

Once again Kirsty Williams is setting the bar with regards to how a Government should be communicating at times like this.

She has clearly laid out her plans, and the rationale behind them, in an upfront manner. This will give parents, children and teaching staff the reassurance they need.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats are committed to getting our children back in the classroom and learning as soon, but only when it is safe to do so.

I am therefore pleased to see that no child is forced to go back, especially those who are shielding themselves or who have family that are shielding.

China is being wilfully ignorant with Hong Kong response

Responding to reports that China has warned the UK to “step back from the brink” over UK criticism of Beijing’s national security law for Hong Kong, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said:

China’s Foreign Ministry are being wilfully ignorant. The Sino-British Joint Declaration was not a unilateral announcement but a clear joint legal text, lodged at the UN. The clue is in the name.

Both the UK and China made promises to the people of Hong Kong during the Handover. Under the Joint Declaration, Hong Kong’s ‘one country, two systems’ way of life was to be protected and enhanced.

Beijing has shown increasing contempt for the Joint Declaration and it is clear that the government must now ensure all Hong Kongers are given the right to live in the UK. Liberal Democrats will continue to urge the UK Government to expand the BNO offer they have outlined.

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NewsHound

Jamie Stone MP: I have become a second-class MP due to the government’s ending of the virtual parliament

By NewsHound | Wed 3rd June 2020 - 9:40 am

– That is a video from Jamie Stone MP which was tweeted last night. In the Guardian, he has spoken to Rajeev Syal about the invidious choice he is facing because of the Government’s move to end the House of Commons hybrid rules, which have allowed for remote voting and virtual debates during the Covid-19 crisis.

Jamie reveals poignant details of his private life which explain why he is faced with an impossible choice. His wife, Flora, is disabled and needs care. Prior, to the Covid-19 crisis, this care could be combined with Jamie’s role at Westminster. However, the pandemic has meant that Jamie has become Flora’s carer. This means that returning to Westminster, as per the Government move, will mean Jamie facing almost impossible choices:

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Mark Valladares

2 June 2020 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 2nd June 2020 - 10:45 pm
  • Govt must review exports of security equipment to US
  • Lib Dems: PHE report fails to properly address inequalities in our society
  • Govt must extend transition given NI Assembly vote

Govt must review exports of security equipment to US

Responding to news that President Donald Trump has threatened to use military force to quell protests in the United States following the murder of George Floyd, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said:

Today the US President threatened to use force against his own citizens. As things stand, our Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister have stood silent. Their silence is shameful.

The Prime Minister must make

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Mark Valladares

1 June 2020 – today’s press release

By Mark Valladares | Mon 1st June 2020 - 11:00 pm

Davey – Govt must stick to science based approach

Responding to the Health Secretary’s press conference in number 10, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:

It is concerning that the government has decided not to make the usual test, trace and isolation data available to the public.

The government claims to be ‘led by the science’ but with members of SAGE publicly warning against the government’s policy and little access to data about test, trace isolate, a science led approach is looking like a threadbare claim. The press conference today raised even more concerns about lockdown beginning to be

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New issue of Liberator free online

By Liberator Collective | Mon 1st June 2020 - 2:08 pm

Liberator 401 is on its way to subscribers and is available as a free download from our website.

We’d – fortuitously – decided before the pandemic to go free online only from September but because many potential readers are stuck at home we’re putting our last few print issues up online too as they come out.

The website also has a free archive of copies back to 2001.

Liberator 401 includes:

  • The People They Forgot – It was too little, too late when the Government tried to protect care homes from Covid-19, leading to a scandal of needless deaths, say Claire Tyler and

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Mark Valladares

30-31 May 2020 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 31st May 2020 - 10:30 pm
  • Govt must follow the science when it comes to easing lockdown
  • Govt must rethink plans to shut down virtual Parliament
  • Govt must issue “crystal clear” guidance for those returning to sport
  • Ministers must explain evidence behind decision to ease lockdown
  • Foreign Secretary’s silence on Trump tweets is shameful
  • Govt decision to press on with reopening schools “deeply worrying”
  • Govt must urgently scrap Vagrancy Act as part of plan to end rough sleeping

Govt must follow the science when it comes to easing lockdown

Responding to reports that several members of the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group have warned of the risk of easing the lockdown in England on Monday 1 June, Liberal Democrat Health, Wellbeing and Social Care spokesperson Munira Wilson said:

The decision by key members of SAGE to go public with their concerns shows that Ministers are no longer following the science.

The test, trace, isolate system that we need to keep people safe is not yet fully functional. The NHSX app is delayed for an unknown period. For seven days straight the Government has been unable to provide even basic data about the number of people tested. On top of these failings, public health messaging has been badly undermined as people see it’s one rule for the Tory elite and another for everyone else.

Given this chaos, measures to lift lockdown appear premature. At every stage the Liberal Democrats have been clear that the Government must listen to the experts and follow the science. Protecting public health and tackling the spread of the virus must always be the Government’s number one priority – many are questioning whether this remains the case.

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NewsHound

Wera Hobhouse: A new direction for the Liberal Democrats

By NewsHound | Sun 31st May 2020 - 2:55 pm

Wera Hobhouse has set out her vision for the party on her website.

It’s about making a clean break with the last decade and abandoning one key element of our strategy and reigniting another.

The time for equidistance is over:

The mistake was to see our party in the political centre, standing equally between right and left. In this day and age, the biggest threat to liberalism – not just in Britain – comes from the right.

Our reasons for entering coalition with the Conservatives in 2010 were well intended, but we ended up undermining our values. We ultimately legitimised the Conservatives’ long-term

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Gerald Vernon-Jackson

Why we need the English State Party of the Liberal Democrats

By Gerald Vernon-Jackson | Sun 31st May 2020 - 8:55 am

Is there any point to the English State Party of the Liberal Democrats?”

A recent article asked this question, and it’s a good question, and one asked by many people over the years.

In some ways the English layer of the Lib Dems is there because we are a Federal Party with the Party in Scotland and Wales who are the constituent parts of the party, and there has to be something at an English level.

For the last three months I’ve been Chair of the Party in England. I don’t like calling it the English Party, as one of our Bangladeshi members in Portsmouth saw that I had got this new role and was worried that I had joined some right wing fringe party.

The Party in England has done good, behind the scenes work, over the last few years. It provides the framework for the approval and selection of parliamentary candidates so that we have the same standards across England. It has also run the disciplinary function in England for many years. For individual members this is now being done by the Federal Party, whilst the Party in England will try to resolve problems in Local Parties and Council Groups.

There are many functions that the Party in England could do, but it has decided its better done at a different layer of the Party. During the Covid 19 crisis we have seen the different nations of the UK make different decisions on lockdown etc. That’s because health is a devolved issue. The list of functions that the UK wide Government does are limited. Defence, foreign affairs, pensions, social security and abortion rights. So policy on education, transport, farming, environment, energy, health etc are all decided at the state level (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England). So developing policy on these areas should be done by the Party in England as it is by the Scottish and Welsh Lib Dems. But we have taken the pragmatic decision that we will leave the policy creation work for these devolved subject areas with the Federal Party HQ. So there is no English Policy Committee, as this would be duplication. The same is true of the bits of Party Conference looking at devolved issues etc.

So what does the Party in England do? In my view no institution has the right to exist unless it is doing something useful and adding value.

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Mark Valladares

29 May 2020 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 29th May 2020 - 11:40 pm
  • Govt must fulfil duty to protect all Hong Kongers
  • Clarity needed about 5-mile rule
  • High coronavirus threat level raises questions about Govt’s priorities
  • Davey responds to furlough scheme details

Govt must fulfil duty to protect all Hong Kongers

Responding to reports that, if China imposes its new security law on Hong Kong, the Home Office appears ready to extend visa rights for all British Nationals (Overseas) in Hong Kong, whether or not they are current BNO passport holders, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said:

If confirmed, this is welcome news. This move is long overdue.

I introduced legislation to give the people of Hong Kong the right to live in the UK back in February. I am glad the government is finally listening.

Beijing has repeatedly shown contempt for the Sino-British Declaration. Under that Declaration, the UK has a duty to the people of Hong Kong.

The government must now ensure all Hong Kongers are protected. Relatively few people have BNO status as the offer was closed years ago.

My cross-party Hong Kong Bill would reopen the passport offer to also give young Hong Kongers the right to live in the UK, regardless of whether they are a dependent of a BNO status holder. I am urging the government to do this immediately.

Clarity needed about 5-mile rule

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have today called on the Welsh Government to give urgent clarity around the new 5-mile rule and how it effects different areas of Wales.

In the Welsh Government announcement today First Minister Mark Drakeford announced that two individuals would be allowed to meet, so long as they maintained social distancing.

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