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Category Archives: Scotland

12-13 October 2024 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 13th October 2024 - 10:30 pm

Blow for new Scot Tory leader as poll shows voters less likely to vote for someone who endorsed Liz Truss
Rennie writes to minister as steel staff furloughed
Lord Wallace responds to death of Alex Salmond

Blow for new Scot Tory leader as poll shows voters less likely to vote for someone who endorsed Liz Truss

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have today described new polling as a “bitter blow” for the new Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay, as polling carried out by Savanta showed that 31% of Scots said they would be less likely to vote Conservative if their new leader had backed Liz Truss in the 2022 Conservative leadership race. Just 4% said they would be more likely to vote Conservative.

During the leadership election Mr Findlay published a video endorsing Liz Truss’ “positive vision”, describing her as “optimistic and authentic” and declaring “In Liz We Trust”.

The polling also showed that significant numbers of UK voters (35%) would be less likely to vote for the Conservatives if the party leader had said they would vote for Donald Trump if they were an American citizen as Conservative Leadership candidate Robert Jenrick has done.” A similar proportion was also put off by Kemi Badenoch’s maternity pay comments (35%).

Commenting, Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain said:

This polling will be a bitter blow for the new Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay. The Scottish public will have little sympathy for anyone who was happily cheerleading for Liz Truss.

Her disastrous decisions sent mortgage costs skyrocketing and deepened the cost-of-living crisis. It makes Russell Findlay’s judgment look deeply suspect.

Former Conservative voters abandoned the party in massive numbers at the last election. In so many places across the country, people are backing the Liberal Democrats who are speaking up for them on the issues that matter most like bringing down NHS waiting lists, tackling the cost-of-living crisis and stopping the sewage scandal.

Rennie writes to minister as steel staff furloughed

Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Willie Rennie has today written to Economy Secretary Kate Forbes to urge her to investigate events at the Dalzell steelworks in Motherwell after he was contacted by plant insiders who told him that employees are at home on 80% wages with no work due to issues with cash flow and input prices.

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11 October 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 11th October 2024 - 10:50 pm

WFP People’s Health Trust: every day we hear more about just how difficult it will be for millions of pensioners
GDP: Last govt left our economy on life support
100 days since GE: Govt should act “bolder and faster” to tackle the issues the country is facing
Rennie: Reckless behaviour of education secretary undermines Scottish education
Perth & Kinross Lib Dem secures Dunkeld housing deal

WFP People’s Health Trust: every day we hear more about just how difficult it will be for millions of pensioners

Responding to the People’s Health Trust report that says vulnerable pensioners face ‘impossible choices’ around heating and eating this winter as a result of the government’s cuts to Winter Fuel Payments, Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions spokesperson Steve Darling MP said:

It seems everyday we hear more and more about just how difficult it is going to be for vulnerable pensioners this winter as a result of the government’s cuts.

Pressing ahead with these cuts simply cannot be allowed to happen.

The government must reverse their decision and ensure that the millions potentially at risk of choosing between heating and eating this winter get the support they need.

GDP: Last govt left our economy on life support

Responding to the news the UK economy grew by 0.2% in August, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader and Treasury Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

The last Conservative government left our economy on life support, and now it needs urgent investment in our public services and infrastructure to bring it back to life.

The economy won’t recover until the government fixes our NHS and care services so people can get back to work.

100 days since GE: Govt should act “bolder and faster” to tackle the issues the country is facing

On the hundredth day since the General Election, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has called on the Government to act “bolder and faster” to tackle the issues the country is facing.

Since the General Election, the Liberal Democrats have called on the Labour Government to cancel their cuts to the Winter Fuel Allowance, introduce a new “Winterproof NHS Taskforce” and clamp down on the sewage scandal by ending water bosses bonuses.

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Also posted in News and Press releases | Tagged claire mclaren, daisy cooper, ed davey, education spending, housing, investment spending, steve darling, uk economy, willie rennie and winter fuel payment | 1 Comment

10 October 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 10th October 2024 - 10:30 pm

Four in five NHS trusts missing cancer target as Lib Dems call for health service to be number one priority at the Budget
Cole-Hamilton files parliamentary motion on antisocial behaviour
Rennie comments as metal tycoon faces prosecution over accounts
Cole-Hamilton raises ADHD waits with First Minister
Rennie responds to Audit Scotland report

Four in five NHS trusts missing cancer target as Lib Dems call for health service to be number one priority at the Budget

Responding to the latest NHS data which shows that 123 NHS Trusts, 82.5%, missed their cancer waiting time target in August of treating 85% of patients within 62-days of an urgent referral, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said:

Having a cancer diagnosis is one of the most terrifying moments of anyone’s life. Everyone should get the treatment and care they need when they need it. Sadly, we have heard countless stories where that is just not the case.

The previous Conservative government’s neglect and mismanagement of the NHS has left vital services struggling to provide care and hospitals crumbling. The Conservative Party has proven itself unfit to ever be trusted with our health service again.

It is now down to the new government to rise to the greatest challenge facing our country, rescuing the NHS. That means treating it as the number one priority at the Budget, to get our health service the resources it needs to get patients the life saving care they deserve.

Cole-Hamilton files parliamentary motion on antisocial behaviour

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has filed a parliamentary motion on antisocial behaviour which calls on the Scottish Government to strengthen police and community responses to ensure that all reports of antisocial behaviour are taken seriously and effectively addressed.

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Also posted in News and Press releases | Tagged adhd, Alex Cole-Hamilton, anti-social behaviour, cancer waiting times, government finances, helen morgan, steel industry and willie rennie | 3 Comments

8 October 2024 – yesterday’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 9th October 2024 - 11:55 pm

Water companies revealed to escape fines as Lib Dems force new sewage vote in Parliament
Water Bills: Govt must enforce tougher restrictions on water companies
Cole-Hamilton calls for support as thousands of NHS staff off on long term sick
Action needed on Welsh water quality
Cole-Hamilton: A&E in permacrisis under SNP
Drug deaths crisis brings untold suffering
Rennie responds to Swinney’s poverty comments
Chairman of scandal-hit water regulator quits

Water companies revealed to escape fines as Lib Dems force new sewage vote in Parliament

Liberal Democrats to force parliamentary vote on outright ban on water company bosses bonuses

New Freedom of Information Request reveals Ofwat has failed to levy any fines against disgraced firms and employs just 8 full time staff on sewage investigations

Ed Davey slams government decision to let Ofwat decide new water company bosses bonuses

The Liberal Democrats plan to table an amendment which outlaws water company bonuses as the government’s new Water Bill enters Parliament tomorrow (9 October).

It comes as a shocking new Freedom of Information request by the Liberal Democrats found that Ofwat admitted “we have not issued any fines in connection with how water companies manage their sewage treatment” Since they launched their investigation into water companies’ sewage discharges in November 2021. Instead, Ofwat is still in “consultation” with the water companies it aims to fine.

The new findings revealed by the Liberal Democrats goes on to state that Ofwat’s investigation into sewage treatment works has a staffing of just 8.5 full-time employees, “many” of whom are working on the report “alongside other projects”.

This scant, part-time staffing raises serious questions over the regulator’s resources and powers to properly scrutinise water companies it oversees – particularly given that Ofwat’s CEO called the project “the largest and most complex investigation” the watchdog has ever undertaken.

Ofwat told the Lib Dems that “many of the people working on the investigation do so for a portion of their time alongside other projects”, and that the regulator is “in the process of recruiting further staff”.

Under the government’s new Water Bill, water company executive bonuses will be determined by key test indicators established by Ofwat. Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey is calling for Ofwat to be scrapped as a failed regulator which should have no role in determining water company bonuses.

Analysis of Company House records by the Liberal Democrats has found water company executives have made £35 million in bonuses since 2021.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

It is time for Parliament to stand up and take action on the sewage crisis after years of failure under the Conservatives.

The new government’s attempt is sadly a job half done. A toothless and tired regulator will fail to end the scandal of multi-million pound bonuses for sewage dumpers.

We need water company executive bonuses banned until the sewage dumping stops. This disgraced industry has shown it is not worthy of any bonuses.

Conservative MPs spent years voting against a ban on sewage bonuses and propping up a failed regulator. It is time to rip up the industry, with companies which no longer put profit before the environment, and a proper regulator with real power.

Liberal Democrat MPs standby ready to work with the government to make sure the new Water Bill protects local communities from foul sewage.

Water Bills: Govt must enforce tougher restrictions on water companies

Commenting on the latest Ofwat reports, which revealed that water firms have been told to cut bills over poor performance, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson Tim Farron MP said:

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Also posted in News, Press releases and Wales | Tagged a and e waiting times, Alex Cole-Hamilton, drug use, ed davey, jane dodds, NHS staffing, poverty, regulators, sewage dumping, tim farron, water companies and willie rennie | 1 Comment

5-6 October 2024 – the weekend press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 6th October 2024 - 10:30 pm

Children with developmental concerns almost doubles
McArthur launches probe into proposed use of live facial recognition tech
New survey lays bare crisis in social care

Children with developmental concerns almost doubles

Scottish Liberal Democrat communities spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP has today urged the SNP government to do far more to support children from poorer backgrounds, as new figures revealed that the percentage of children with developmental concerns has almost doubled since 2019.

Child health reviews are offered to all children in Scotland. These reviews refer to assessments of a child’s development at 13-15 months, 27-30 months and 4-5 years.

The figures from Public Health Scotland published this week show:

Of those children who received a 4-5 year review, the percentage with developmental concerns increased from 11.87% in 2019 to 17.71% in 2024.
16.68% of children who received a 27-30 month review (1,915 children) had a concern noted about at least one area of their development;
There were high numbers of children who had a concern noted in the following areas: gross motor, speech, language and communication and emotional and behavioural;
11.53% of children who received a 27-30 month review had a new or previous concern recorded for speech, language and communication, while 8.1% of children who received a 13-15 month review had a new or previous concern recorded for gross motor.

Mr Rennie said:

Scotland’s children should be growing up in the best environment, but on the SNP’s watch far too many are showing developmental concerns.

The pandemic was incredibly challenging for parents and children. Rather than invest to support families, SNP ministers have fallen short.

The government must put in place extra support for all those children who have had a developmental concern noted. I want to see ministers doing everything in their power to ensure that issues are identified and addressed as early as possible so that every child can flourish, no matter their background or circumstance.

McArthur launches probe into proposed use of live facial recognition tech

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur has filed 40 parliamentary questions on Police Scotland’s proposed use of live facial recognition as he bids to force the Scottish Government to explain how the measures are compatible with equalities and civil liberties concerns.

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Also posted in News and Press releases | Tagged Alex Cole-Hamilton, children's services, facial recognition cameras, liam mcarthur, social care and willie rennie | Leave a comment

3 October 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 3rd October 2024 - 11:58 pm

Record high numbers living in temporary accommodation as Lib Dems call on govt to end homelessness this Parliament
Ed Davey calls for boost for unpaid carers as figures show one in four not in work
Cole-Hamilton pens letter to former Conservative voters urging them to abandon party
1 in 9 Scots report mental health condition
627,700 unpaid carers in Scotland
Cole-Hamilton comments on further Creative Scotland funding delay

Record high numbers living in temporary accommodation as Lib Dems call on govt to end homelessness this Parliament

The number of families living in temporary accommodation has reached a record high, the latest homelessness statistics have revealed, while there has been a 14.2% rise in rough sleeping.

The number of households reported in temporary accommodation reached 117,450 in March 2024 – the highest figure since these records began in 1998. This includes a 14.7% rise in the number of households with children living in temporary accommodation taking the total to 74,530.

There were also large increases last year in the number of households owed homelessness support by their local authority. Local authorities made 94,280 main homelessness duty decisions in 2023-24 – up by 25.1% on 2022-23.

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to publish a cross-Whitehall plan to end all forms of homelessness within this Parliament. The party said that the plans should include more support for councils to tackle the shocking rise in the number of people in temporary accommodation.

Responding to the latest figures, Liberal Democrat Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson, Vikki Slade MP said:

It is heartbreaking to think that so many families and children will be on the streets or without a place to call home this winter.

For years, the previous Conservative government chose to ignore the thousands that are rough sleeping and broke their promise to ban no fault evictions.

The new government must address this awful situation as a matter of urgency and that starts by publishing a cross-Whitehall plan to end all forms of homelessness within this Parliament.

This strategy must include more support for councils to tackle the shocking rise in families using temporary accommodation. No longer should we see people forced to sleep rough and unable to access the support they need.

Ed Davey calls for boost for unpaid carers as figures show one in four not in work

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey will call on the government to boost support for unpaid carers, on a visit to a charity that supports children and young adults with Down syndrome and those who care for them.

It comes as House of Commons Library research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed unpaid carers are a sixth less likely to be employed, with one in four classed as ‘economically inactive’.

The data reveals that just 50% of ‘adult informal carers’ were in employment compared to 60% of all adults, making them a sixth less likely to be employed. Disturbingly, the data also showed that informal carers were a third more likely to be ‘permanently sick/disabled’ than the rest of the population, with almost one in 10 unpaid carers classified to be so.

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Also posted in News and Press releases | Tagged Alex Cole-Hamilton, conservative voters, creative industries, ed davey, homelessness, mental health, unpaid carers, vikki slade and wendy chamberlain | 2 Comments

2 October 2024 – yesterday’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 3rd October 2024 - 7:30 am

Conservative leadership: To call this contest scraping the bottom of the barrel would be an insult to barrels
Davey: New Govt must make repairing our broken relationship with Europe a priority
Welsh Government urged to adopt successful family court model – Substance use among parents dropped by over a quarter
McArthur comments on prisoner early release figures

Conservative leadership: To call this contest scraping the bottom of the barrel would be an insult to barrels

Responding to the speeches made by the four Conservative leadership candidates at their party’s conference today, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said:

To call this contest scraping the bottom of the barrel would be an insult to barrels. Every day this leadership contest goes on reminds the public why they voted to kick the Conservatives out of office.

The leadership candidates are competing in an undignified race to the bottom, suggesting maternity pay should be slashed, civil servants should go to prison and insulting the armed forces. All four of them are failed former Conservative ministers, refusing to take responsibility for their appalling record in government.

Davey: New Govt must make repairing our broken relationship with Europe a priority

Responding to Keir Starmer’s meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey MP said:

After years of Conservative failure, this new Government must make repairing our broken relationship with Europe a priority. That starts with a common sense agreement on a Youth Mobility Scheme between the EU and the UK.

For years, Conservative Ministers not only ignored our closest neighbours but treated them with contempt.

The Conservatives’ shoddy deal with the EU has harmed farmers, fishers and small businesses across the country. It’s time to tear down the red tape erected by the former Conservative Government and give a boost to Britain’s economy, by working closely with our European allies once again.

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1 October 2024 – yesterday’s press releases (part 2)

By Mark Valladares | Wed 2nd October 2024 - 11:45 pm

Veterans facing homelessness reaches five-year high
Record high levels of people stuck in hospital
August A&E waiting times the worst on record for the month
Operations activity still well down on pre-pandemic levels
Cole-Hamilton comments on NHS dental deregistration in Dumfries & Galloway

Veterans facing homelessness reaches five-year high

Commenting on the news that in 2023/24 there were 935 homeless applications which included veterans, the highest figure since 2018/19, Scottish Liberal Democrat Veterans Spokesperson Bruce Wilson said:

Our veterans have dedicated their lives to public service and duty, putting themselves in harm’s way to do so. The fact that so many of them face homelessness is an utter disgrace.

No meaningful action has been taken to improve the transition to civilian life for veterans. Instead, service members have relied heavily on the charitable sector, struggling for funding.

The SNP have taken an axe to the housing budget and slashed funding for councils. They’ve completely failed to build the thousands of homes promised for social rent.

Scottish Liberal Democrats would support our veterans, treating them with the dignity and respect they deserve. That’s why we would drastically improve the standard of Ministry of Defence housing and waive application fees for indefinite leave for members of the armed forces on discharge. We would build more homes, bring thousands of empty homes back into use and re-establish social rent as a valid, long-term option.

Record high levels of people stuck in hospital

Responding to new Public Health Scotland figures which showed 2,009 people were stuck in hospital in August due to their discharge being delayed, the highest number of people delayed since the guidelines were updated in 2016, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

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Also posted in News and Press releases | Tagged Alex Cole-Hamilton, bruce wilson, homelessness, NHS dentistry, nhs operations, nhs waiting times, social care and veterans | 1 Comment

1 October 2024 – yesterday’s press releases (part 1)

By Mark Valladares | Wed 2nd October 2024 - 10:15 pm

Energy price rise: “crushing blow” to pensioners worried about having to choose between heating and eating
New poll shows 1 in 4 Brits have avoided calling an ambulance over fears it would take too long to arrive
Rennie responds to Accounts Commission Report
McArthur responds to Scottish Government evidence submission on assisted dying

Energy price rise: “crushing blow” to pensioners worried about having to choose between heating and eating

Responding to the Ofgem energy price cap rise of 10% from £1,568 to £1,717 coming into effect today as Winter Fuel Payments worth between £200 and £300 are being cut for the vast majority of pensioners, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson, Daisy Cooper MP said:

Today’s price rise will be a crushing blow to all those pensioners who are wondering how they will get through the coming months without having to choose between heating and eating following the Winter Fuel Payment cuts.

The Conservative Party proved themselves utterly unfit to govern and we recognise that the new government must clear up their mess, but to cut Winter Fuel Payments for vulnerable pensioners in the midst of a cost of living crisis with energy bills rising sharply again, is the wrong thing to do.

That is why the Liberal Democrats have opposed these cuts every step of the way and will continue to do so until the government brings forward a fairer plan.

It is not too late for the government to think again and ensure vulnerable pensioners get the support they need.

New poll shows 1 in 4 Brits have avoided calling an ambulance over fears it would take too long to arrive

One in four (25%) Brits who needed to visit A&E but did not call for an ambulance called for a taxi, one in five (18%) walked to A&E and 17% chose to stay at home rather than get the treatment they needed

Half of Brits worried they will face a 12-hour wait in A&E if NHS hit by another winter crisis

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Also posted in News and Press releases | Tagged assisted dying bill, daisy cooper, ed davey, liam mcarthur, local government funding, nhs waiting times, willie rennie and winter fuel payment | Leave a comment

30 September 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 30th September 2024 - 10:30 pm

Truss: Conservative Leadership contenders must pledge to strip her of £115,000 allowance
Scotland’s trains are ‘erratic and expensive’ under the SNP
Rennie responds to MUP rise
Scot Lib Dems respond to Truss leadership claims

Truss: Conservative Leadership contenders must pledge to strip her of £115,000 allowance

Responding to Liz Truss’s appearance at Conservative Party Conference, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said:

Liz Truss’s failure to recognise the economic vandalism that she oversaw is a kick in the teeth to all those who endured their mortgage rates spiralling and were worried about losing their homes as a result of her disastrous policies.

It’s outrageous that instead of calling out the damage that she did, the Conservative Party actually allowed her to stand as one of their candidates at the General Election.

Every Conservative Party Leadership candidate must condemn Truss’s terrible record and pledge that they would strip her of her ex-PM allowance of up to £115,000 a year.

Scotland’s trains are ‘erratic and expensive’ under the SNP

Scottish Liberal Democrats have highlighted their plans to make Scotland’s rail services cheap, reliable and frequent as the SNP bring back peak fares today (Monday 30th September), with passengers now being hit by higher ticket prices and a reduced timetable.

In August, the SNP government announced that it would reintroduce peak rail fares, meaning that the price of the top ticket between Glasgow and Edinburgh has now risen by 8.6% to £31.40.

This hike comes as ScotRail continue to operate a temporary timetable with far fewer trains available. In total, about 600 services were slashed from the ScotRail timetable, with only around 50% of services running on Sundays.

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Also posted in News and Press releases | Tagged daisy cooper, daniel o'malley, liz truss, minimum alcohol pricing, railways and willie rennie | Leave a comment

28-29 September 2024 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 29th September 2024 - 10:00 pm

Conservative Leadership Race: Candidates have spent years defending the indefensible
Badenoch’s maternity pay comment: Another example of Tory sleaze and scandal
Cole-Hamilton addresses King at 25 years of the Scottish Parliament event

Conservative Leadership Race: Candidates have spent years defending the indefensible

Commenting after the four Conservative leadership candidates spoke with Trevor Phillips, ahead of the Conservative Party Conference, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said:

As James Cleverly said himself, people wanted the Conservatives out of Government and this dire set of candidates has made it crystal clear why.

From the Conservative’s Partygate and PPE scandals to their disastrous mini budget, every one of the Conservative’s leadership candidates has spent years defending the indefensible.

The British people have had enough of Conservative sleaze and scandal. They’ve had enough of seeing their health services and economy trashed. And that’s why so many former life-long Conservative voters backed the Liberal Democrats at the last election.

People want urgent action to fix the health and care crisis not Conservative leadership candidates sniping from the sidelines. That’s why Liberal Democrats are calling for a Budget to Save the NHS and Care and working day in day out to be the constructive opposition the country needs and deserves.

Badenoch’s maternity pay comment: Another example of Tory sleaze and scandal

After Kemi Badenoch’s comments on maternity pay earlier today, Liberal Democrat Women and Equalities Spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said:

It is this kind of out touch comment that shows yet again why the Conservatives got trounced at the last election.

The Conservative Party should focus also on championing policies that support British families, rather than the constant Tory sleaze and scandal we’ve become all too familiar with.

The Liberal Democrats’ proposals would give new parents the choice and flexibility they need, including boosting statutory pay for new parents, and a new ‘dad month’ to help more fathers take time off work to be with their new baby during the first year.

Cole-Hamilton addresses King at 25 years of the Scottish Parliament event

Speaking as he addressed Their Majesties The King and Queen to mark 25 years since the opening of the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

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26 September 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 26th September 2024 - 10:30 pm

Better pay needed to resolve recruitment crisis in care
Cole-Hamilton responds to Eye Pavilion statement

Better pay needed to resolve recruitment crisis in care

Almost half of leaving care workers cite pay as key factor as Welsh Lib Dems call for creation of carers wage

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have proposed the creation of a new carers wage in Wales, to help resolve the current recruitment crisis amongst care workers.
Speaking in the Senedd on Tuesday, Welsh Lib Dem leader Jane Dodds urged the Welsh Government to adopt proposals which would see care workers receive a £2 an hour pay increase on top of the …

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25 September 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 25th September 2024 - 11:55 pm

Lib Dems call for any fiscal rule changes to be used to build new hospitals amid under-threat projects
Prison release error: Shocking news which needs “immediate action”
McArthur reveals scale of prison self-harm as he marks 1,000 days since suicide strategy expired

Lib Dems call for any fiscal rule changes to be used to build new hospitals amid under-threat projects

The Liberal Democrats have written to the Health Secretary ahead of his speech at Labour Conference today calling on the government to use any changes to the fiscal rules which are reported to be being made at the Budget to be used to invest in the NHS and complete the building of the previously promised 40 new hospitals.

In the letter from the Party’s Health and Social Care spokesperson, Helen Morgan she said that the “Conservatives were not honest with the public” in their failure to deliver these schemes but that “patients across the country will now be extremely concerned” that the Health Secretary looks set to cancel many of these new hospitals.

Helen Morgan also said that continuing the projects was “imperative” not only to improve patients care but also for boosting growth with infrastructure spending on major construction projects and that by not fixing the NHS you could not fix the economy.

She went on to say that the changes to the fiscal rules at the Budget, as mentioned in the Chancellor’s speech should “pave the way for the investment we desperately need in our hospitals” to improve patient care and boost growth.

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Also posted in News and Press releases | Tagged helen morgan, josh babarinde, liam mcarthur, nhs investment, prison release and self-harm | 5 Comments

24 September 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 24th September 2024 - 11:50 pm

Winter Fuel Payments: Hundreds of thousands more pensioners set to lose out
NHS Scotland Stop Smoking Services fall short of target
Cole-Hamilton challenges Health Secretary to tackle cancer crisis
Worst ever homelessness figures on the SNP’s watch
Jardine responds to GB Energy Aberdeen announcement
Cole-Hamilton demands action on Highlands care home closures
Just 3.2% of acid attacks in London have resulted in charge this year

Winter Fuel Payments: Hundreds of thousands more pensioners set to lose out

Responding to the latest Winter Fuel Payment statistics showing that there was a 214,000 increase in the number of recipients of the payments in the winter of 2023/24 compared to the previous year, Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions spokesperson Steve Darling MP said:

Hundreds of thousands more pensioners are now set to lose out on these desperately needed payments that protect so many from having to choose between heating and eating.

Cutting these payments for pensioners, which include millions who are just scraping by and are now worried about how they will get through the winter, is totally wrong.

It is not too late for this new government to change course and Liberal Democrat MPs will push them every step of the way to reverse these cuts and protect vulnerable pensioners this winter.

NHS Scotland Stop Smoking Services fall short of target

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has warned that efforts to deliver a smoke-free Scotland are falling short as new figures released today showed that NHS Scotland Stop Smoking services only achieved 74% of their target for helping people to stop smoking.

The new figures also reveal that only Western Isles and Dumfries & Galloway met their yearly targets. NHS Shetland and NHS Borders achieved less than 50% of their yearly targets, with Lothian, Lanarkshire and fife also performing poorly.

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Also posted in London, News and Press releases | Tagged acid attacks, Alex Cole-Hamilton, Angus MacDonald, cancer care, care homes, christine jardine, gareth roberts, GB energy, homelessness, paul mcgarry, smoking, steve darling and winter fuel payment | Leave a comment

23 September 2024 – today’s press release

By Mark Valladares | Mon 23rd September 2024 - 10:30 pm

Cole-Hamilton calls for statement on eye hospital closure

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, health spokesperson and MSP for Edinburgh Western Alex Cole-Hamilton has today called for the Scottish Government to deliver a statement in the Scottish Parliament on the closure of the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion.

It was announced last week that the Eye Pavilion, which provides ophthalmic care across Edinburgh and the Lothians, will close temporarily from Monday 28th October for six months while works on the plumbing system are carried out.

Campaigners including Mr Cole-Hamilton have long pushed for a replacement for the 55 year old Eye Pavilion building. However this replacement …

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21-22 September 2024 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 22nd September 2024 - 10:30 pm

McArthur: SNP must confirm that they won’t dump another climate target
More than 400 solicitors withdrawing from legal aid schemes in just 3 years

McArthur: SNP must confirm that they won’t dump another climate target

Scottish Liberal Democrat climate spokesperson Liam McArthur has called on the SNP government to confirm that they will not dump their target to decarbonise the passenger rail network by 2035 after the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero failed to mention this deadline during an exchange in parliament.

Speaking in the Scottish Parliament earlier this week, Mr McArthur asked Gillian Martin, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, if she …

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Ten years on from the Independence Referendum – what has changed?

By John Barrett | Sat 21st September 2024 - 12:25 pm

This weekend is ten years on from the results being declared following the Scottish Independence Referendum, and for those Liberals, like me, who voted Yes to Independence, much has changed since then.

I read much of what was written about Scotland’s Future in the White Paper and elsewhere, and wrote a number of articles at the time about my own thoughts. In the end, I decided that the SNP’s economic forecast for an independent Scotland was complete nonsense, but still thought the risk was worth taking, of voting for an independent future, for a number of reasons.

The first being that it is not often in life you get a chance to start again, and I did not think the existing system of governance in the United Kingdom by first past the post would ever change. North of the border, PR was the norm at Council and Scottish elections and back then the European elections too. In relation to Europe I believed, unlike most in the Liberal Democrats, that a pro-European Scotland could be dragged out of Europe by a vote in the rest of the UK for Brexit, something that later became all too clear. Ten years ago, I believed that the “independence” being offered by the SNP was much closer to our long-standing policy of a Federal UK than the status quo we ended up with after the No vote won the day. In the end, I accepted that I was on the losing side and remained in the UK, later to be taken out of the EU, against the vote of most Scots.

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Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged scottish independence | 2 Comments

20 September 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 20th September 2024 - 10:30 pm

National debt: The Conservatives trashed the economy
McArthur responds to health committee’s summary of assisted dying consultation responses
Cole-Hamilton: We should empower communities to help tackle antisocial driving

National debt: The Conservatives trashed the economy

Responding to the national debt reaching 100% of GDP for the first time in decades, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

Today’s figures are yet more proof of the terrible state in which the previous Conservative government left our public finances.

Even though the Conservatives trashed our economy, the government can’t use that as an excuse to make the wrong decisions, such as cutting winter fuel payments and leaving vulnerable pensioners worried about the cold months ahead.

Ministers must take action to repair our public finances in a fair way, by asking big banks, the oil and gas giants and global social media corporations to pay their fair share of tax.

McArthur responds to health committee’s summary of assisted dying consultation responses

Responding to the Health Committee publishing a summary of responses received in response to its call for evidence on Liam McArthur’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, which shows that a majority of respondents were supportive of the bill, Mr McArthur said:

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Also posted in News and Press releases | Tagged Alex Cole-Hamilton, assisted dying bill, daisy cooper, dangerous driving, liam mcarthur and national debt | 8 Comments

19 September 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 19th September 2024 - 10:30 pm

Improving maternity care must be a key priority for the new government
Rennie responds to new Audit Scotland college report
Cole-Hamilton urges First Minister to act on antisocial driving
Cole-Hamilton attacks “vast” pay off to water industry boss

Improving maternity care must be a key priority for the new government

Responding to the Care Quality Commission’s report into maternity care services, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care Spokesperson, Helen Morgan said:

The ongoing postcode lottery of maternity care must end. That means raising standards across the board and making sure that no mother or baby is put at unnecessary risk.

Unsafe staffing levels and practices can have tragic consequences, as so many families across the country have experienced first hand.

Despite several reviews and inquiries, this new CQC report makes clear that much more progress needs to be made.

Improving maternity care must be a key priority for the new government as it seeks to address the broader crisis in our healthcare system.

Rennie responds to new Audit Scotland college report

Responding to a new Audit Scotland report which warns that colleges may not be able to offer the same learning experience to students as in the past and that further staff cuts are on the horizon, Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Willie Rennie said:

College budgets have been first in line for the axe for years now. Figures from the Scottish Funding Council show that the SNP cut resource funding for colleges by 4.8% in the 2024-25 budget, hot on the heels of a real-terms reduction in funding of 8.5% over the previous two financial years.

The SNP’s neglect of further education has contributed to our wider economic malaise and it makes clear that ministers do not see colleges, their staff and students as a priority.

Colleges have a key role to play in providing people with the skills they need to flourish in key sectors like insulating homes, food and drink, tourism, social care and nursery education.

Scotland won’t reach its economic potential without a thriving college sector.

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Also posted in News and Press releases | Tagged Alex Cole-Hamilton, dangerous driving, further education, helen morgan, maternity services, water industry and willie rennie | Leave a comment

18 September 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 18th September 2024 - 11:45 pm

Ed Davey unveils new Lib Dem frontbench team to champion “the people’s priorities”
Cole-Hamilton: For ten years the SNP have picked at the scab of their defeat

Ed Davey unveils new Lib Dem frontbench team to champion “the people’s priorities”

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has announced his new frontbench, as he calls on his party to champion the “people’s priorities” and “clean up the mess left by the Conservative government.”

The new frontbench announcement follows Ed Davey’s conference speech, where he set out the Liberal Democrat plan to be a “constructive opposition” holding the new government to account. Davey unveils his new team of spokespeople after the party won 72 seats at the general election, becoming the largest third party in the House of Commons in a hundred years.

Daisy Cooper remains as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, but will also now become the party’s Treasury Spokesperson, where she will focus on the cost-of-living crisis and holding the Government to account as it clears up the terrible economic mess left by the Conservative Party.

Helen Morgan, who became MP for North Shropshire in a historic by-election victory in 2021, now leads on Health and Social Care, the number one priority for the party that is championing access to GPs and dentists as well as support for unpaid carers.

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Also posted in News and Press releases | Tagged Alex Cole-Hamilton, ed davey, liberal democrat spokespeople and scottish independence | 8 Comments

17 September 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 17th September 2024 - 10:30 pm

Ed Davey speech: “Make the NHS winterproof”
Cole-Hamilton comments as Scotland marks ten years since Independence Referendum

Ed Davey speech: “Make the NHS winterproof”

In his speech to Liberal Democrat Conference in Brighton today, Leader Ed Davey will call on the Government to set up a new “Winterproof NHS Taskforce” to put an end to the annual winter crises in the health service.

With NHS chiefs warning that “this winter is likely to see urgent and emergency care services come under significant strain”, Ed Davey will urge the Government to “make this year the last winter crisis in our NHS”.

Last winter, ambulances across England collectively spent a total of 112 years waiting outside hospitals to hand patients over, according to official NHS figures. Between November 2023 and March 2024, 732,000 patients faced A&E waits of over 4 hours to be admitted, with 228,000 waiting more than 12 hours.

For the first time, the Taskforce would bring together a team of experts reporting directly to the Health Secretary, responsible for strengthening coordination across the NHS and allocating long-term funding and resources to prevent winter crises.

Over the past seven years, the Government has announced an average of £376 million of emergency funding each year to tackle the NHS winter crisis. Under the Liberal Democrat proposal, the new Taskforce would instead manage a ringfenced fund of £1.5 billion over the next four years, to build resilience in hospital wards, A&E departments, ambulance services and patient discharging.

This would allow integrated care boards and NHS Trusts to plan their budgets more efficiently to prevent winter crises, instead of just receiving emergency funding from the Government at the last minute.

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Also posted in News and Press releases | Tagged Alex Cole-Hamilton, ed davey, NHS and scottish parliament elections | Leave a comment

10 September 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 10th September 2024 - 10:50 pm

Winter Fuel vote: Cut will be deeply worrying to millions
589 people die from suspected drug death in first half of 2024
Alcohol deaths highest in 15 years
Cole-Hamilton: Supporting 168,000 Long Covid sufferers is vital economic investment
Rennie responds to Michael Matheson’s return to parliament
Rennie responds to Children’s Commissioner free school meals comments

Winter Fuel vote: Cut will be deeply worrying to millions

Responding to the vote to cut the Winter Fuel Payment, Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions Spokesperson Wendy Chamberlain MP said:

Millions of pensioners will be left deeply worried about how they will get by this winter with this cut to the Winter Fuel Payment. So many pensioners are already facing another winter of a cost of living crisis and this will make things worse.

The damage left by the Conservatives to our economy is unforgivable but cutting payments to vulnerable pensioners is no way to bring about the change the country deserves.

Liberal Democrat MPs proudly opposed the Government today and stood up for the many pensioners across the country who are now at risk of an even bigger winter cost of living crisis.

We’ll keep fighting this cut tooth and nail anyway we can, we’ll continue to be a constructive opposition to the new Government and we’re fighting for the real change people want to see.

589 people die from suspected drug death in first half of 2024

Responding to new figures published by the Scottish Government which show that 589 people died of a suspected drug death in the first six months of 2024, including 269 deaths between April and June, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

This is nothing short of a national tragedy; my thoughts today are with all those who have lost someone from a drug death.

Scotland’s drug deaths crisis is worse than anywhere else in Europe. Despite deaths more than doubling over the last decade, the SNP government have chosen to freeze the funding for drug and alcohol policy, amounting to a real-terms cut to the budget for critical services.

When this issue comes before parliament later this week, I want to see ministers committing to fresh measures to stop people dying. This includes rolling out a full nationwide network of drug testing and safer consumption facilities- centres that are proven to keep people safe, prevent fatal overdoses and open up new pathways for treatment and recovery.

My party also wants to see a much stronger frontline response to synthetic opioids- including nitazenes, which are 50 times more powerful than heroin- through enhanced information, detection and treatment.

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Also posted in News and Press releases | Tagged alcoholism, Alex Cole-Hamilton, drug addiction, free school meals, long covid, snp, wendy chamberlain, willie rennie and winter fuel allowance | Leave a comment

31 August & 1 September 2024 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 1st September 2024 - 10:30 pm

Lib Dems call for vote on Winter Fuel Allowance cut this week to avoid ‘damaging public trust’
DIY A&E: Scots treat their wounds and make slings over fear of hospital waits
Sharp rise in 999 callers making their own way to hospital
Cole-Hamilton responds to Swinney conference speech

Lib Dems call for vote on Winter Fuel Allowance cut this week to avoid ‘damaging public trust’

Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper has written to Rt Hon Lucy Powell MP, the Leader of the House of Commons, demanding that MPs be given a vote this week on the government’s proposed cuts to the Winter Fuel Allowance for millions of pensioners.

In her letter, Daisy Cooper warns that failing to hold a debate and vote on the issue would risk “damaging public trust in politics” especially given the policy wasn’t included in the Labour manifesto at the election and is now set to go through with “minimal parliamentary scrutiny.”

The letter adds that there are just two weeks to go to protect pensioners from the cut before it comes into force on 16th September.

The Liberal Democrats will tomorrow table a motion backed by all 72 of its MPs to block the government’s proposals through a debate and vote in Parliament.

Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader, Daisy Cooper MP said:

Over the past few weeks we have heard from countless pensioners worried about whether they’ll be able to heat their homes this winter.

To push these cuts through without any other measures to mitigate the impact on millions of poorer pensioners, and with minimal parliamentary scrutiny, risks damaging the public’s trust in politics and putting the most vulnerable at risk.

We all appreciate the damage that the Conservative Party did to the public finances and the size of the challenges in front of us, but this is a step in the wrong direction and the proposed cuts must be scrutinised properly.

The government must give MPs the chance to debate better solutions, vote on their cuts to the Winter Fuel Allowance and prevent millions of the most vulnerable in our society from losing out.

DIY A&E: Scots treat their wounds and make slings over fear of hospital waits

A new poll commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed that people are suffering in pain or treating themselves rather than go to A&E out of fear of waiting times.

The poll reveals the lengths to which people across the UK went if they needed to use A&E in the past two years, but decided not to, over fears of waiting times.

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Also posted in News and Press releases | Tagged accident and emergency, Alex Cole-Hamilton, ambulance services, daisy cooper, snp and winter fuel allowance | 10 Comments

30 August 2024 – today’s press release

By Mark Valladares | Fri 30th August 2024 - 10:30 pm

Cole-Hamilton comments on day one of SNP conference

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

In the morning Stephen Flynn is on the radio trying to sound contrite but by the afternoon depute leader Keith Brown is already bellowing about how the answer to everything is breaking up the UK.

The SNP don’t really seem to have learned anything from the defeat voters handed them in the election.

When I am out knocking on doors, no one is interested in wasting more time on constitutional clashes. They want to see action on long NHS waits, rising violence in schools and our disappointing economic

…

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Also posted in News and Press releases | Tagged Alex Cole-Hamilton and snp | 1 Comment

29 August 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 29th August 2024 - 11:45 pm

Lib Dem MPs back motion to block Winter Fuel Payments cut
Swinney should launch new term by ending support for Heathrow expansion
Cole-Hamilton speaks ahead of SNP conference

Lib Dem MPs back motion to block Winter Fuel Payments cut

Ed Davey announces plan to force vote on government’s cut to Winter Fuel Payments for 10 million pensioners

Analysis reveals pensioners facing a £670 hit this winter from rising energy bills and slashing of support

Liberal Democrats call for a “rethink” so that poorer and vulnerable pensioners continue to get the support they need

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has announced his party is tabling a motion to block the government’s proposed cut to Winter Fuel Payments as soon as Parliament returns from recess next week.

All 72 Liberal Democrat MPs have backed the party’s ‘prayer motion’ to block the cut to Winter Fuel Payments and ensure MPs are given a vote on the changes before they come into force on 16th September.

It comes as analysis by the Liberal Democrats shows that pensioners are expected to take a £670 hit this winter due to the rise in the energy price cap, the end to the Pensioner Cost of Living Payment, and the government’s cuts to the winter fuel allowance coming into effect.

The Liberal Democrats are urging the government to “think again” about the proposed cut to Winter Fuel Payments which will impact 10 million pensioners. Of these, the charity Age UK has said two million will find paying their energy bills a real stretch and will be seriously hit by this cut.

According to the government’s own figures, 800,000 of the lowest-income pensioners are eligible for Pension Credit but do not get it, meaning they will lose their Winter Fuel Payments.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

We have heard from countless pensioners worried about how they will afford their energy bills this winter. Stripping support from many of the poorest pensioners, just when energy bills are set to rise again this winter, is the wrong thing to do.

That is why the Liberal Democrats are tabling a motion to reject these plans as soon as Parliament returns, and give MPs a chance to vote on this issue on behalf of their constituents.

We recognise that the government faces difficult choices given the appalling mess left by the Conservative Party. But a rethink is urgently needed so that poorer and vulnerable pensioners continue to get the support they need.

Swinney should launch new term by ending support for Heathrow expansion

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today called on John Swinney to launch the new parliamentary term by ending the SNP government’s support for expanding Heathrow Airport, as he stated that the expansion is incompatible with tackling the climate emergency.

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Also posted in News and Press releases | Tagged airport expansion, Alex Cole-Hamilton, ed davey, snp and winter fuel allowance | 12 Comments

28 August 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 28th August 2024 - 10:50 pm

Back from three weeks away, time to pick up the party’s press releases again…

Water bills: High time Ofwat were replaced
UK-Germany treaty: A positive step forward
Erasmus: Disappointing that Govt will not rejoin scheme
170+ artists slam SNP culture cuts
Scot Lib Dems comment as FM and Chancellor meet

Water bills: High time Ofwat were replaced

Responding to comments from water firms that despite rising bills for consumers, companies claim this isn’t enough to stop sewage spills, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson Tim Farron MP said:

It’s an absolute outrage that British families face sky high bills that continue to rise, whilst water firm CEOs pocket millions of pounds in bonuses, and all the while filthy sewage continues to destroy our seas and rivers.

It’s clear to see that the current regulator Ofwat is not fit for purpose, and it’s high time they were replaced. That is why the Liberal Democrats have been calling for a new regulator to crack down on water companies and hold them accountable to end this sewage scandal once and for all.

UK-Germany treaty: A positive step forward

Responding to UK-Germany treaty talks, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran MP said:

This is a positive step forward after years of the Conservatives trashing the UK’s relationship with Europe.

But the new Government needs to be more ambitious about rebuilding stronger ties with our European allies.

That should start with agreeing a Youth Mobility Scheme giving young people the opportunity to easily live and work across the continent.

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Also posted in News and Press releases | Tagged Alex Cole-Hamilton, culture, erasmus, europe, finances, germany, layla moran, munira wilson, ofwat and tim farron | 10 Comments

6 August 2024 – yesterday’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 7th August 2024 - 1:05 am

Ofwat fines: A game of catch up after Conservative Ministers turned a blind eye
Cole-Hamilton: SNP must take action to avoid winter crisis at A&E
Welsh Lib Dems call on new First Minister to “restore trust in Welsh Politics”
Police office numbers are lowest on record
Number of people stuck in hospital reaches new high
Scot Lib Dems criticise SNP exam failings

Ofwat fines: A game of catch up after Conservative Ministers turned a blind eye

Responding to Ofwat imposing a £168m fine on Thames Water, Yorkshire Water and Northumbrian Water, Liberal Democrat Environment spokesperson Tim Farron MP said:

After years of inaction and failure under the last Conservative government, it is welcome to see the regulator finally impose proper fines.

This should only be the start if these polluting firms are to clean up their act.

We now need a ban on bonuses and an end to bumper profits on the industry.

Sadly this is all a game of catch up after Conservative Ministers turned a blind eye to this environmental scandal.

Cole-Hamilton: SNP must take action to avoid winter crisis at A&E

Responding to new figures showing only 69% of people attending A&E were seen within the 4 hour target in June 2024, while 14,126 people waited over 8 hours and 5,936 waited over 12 hours, Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

Normally in summer we would see an improving picture at A&E, but these waiting times are already very long, and moving in the wrong direction.

Under the SNP the NHS is teetering on the brink, staff are overwhelmed, and thousands are waiting far too long to be seen.

We need to see action from this SNP government to address long waits at A&E before we are staring down the barrel of a winter crisis.

Scottish Liberal Democrats would overhaul the SNP’s failed NHS Recovery Plan, get you fast access to GPs and help people leave hospital on time through a new minimum wage for care workers that is £2 higher.

Welsh Lib Dems call on new First Minister to “restore trust in Welsh Politics”

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have called on the new First Minister of Wales Eluned Morgan to rebuild trust in Welsh politics.

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Also posted in News, Press releases and Wales | Tagged accident and emergency, alex cole-hamiton, educational attainment, hospital occupancy, jane dodds, liam mcarthur, policing, tim farron, trust and water companies | Leave a comment

1 August 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 1st August 2024 - 10:30 pm

Rural crime report: Communities suffering after years of neglect
Davey on PM Statement: “Riots and disorder are never the answer”
Rennie responds to bin strikes news

Rural crime report: Communities suffering after years of neglect

Responding to NFU Mutual’s new Rural Crime Report, which shows that the cost of rural crime rose to £52.8m in 2023, Liberal Democrat Rural Affairs Spokesperson Tim Farron MP said:

Rural communities are suffering badly after years of neglect by the last Conservative Government. Far too many criminals are getting away with stealing millions of pounds worth of equipment from our farmers.

This needs to change. Rural communities deserve much more focus within government, including a proper strategy to combat rural crime that costs our economy so much.

Davey on PM Statement: “Riots and disorder are never the answer”

Responding to the Prime Minister’s press conference on the unrest since the attack in Southport on Monday, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

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Also posted in News and Press releases | Tagged dustbin strike, ed davey, riots, rural policing, tim farron and willie rennie | 1 Comment

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