The Liberator Collective

Liberator 429 is out now!

By The Liberator Collective | Sun 8th June 2025 - 11:30 am

You can download Liberator 429 for free here: 

https://liberatormagazine.org.uk/recent-issues/

You can also sign up to get an email each time a new issue of Liberator comes out: https://liberatormagazine.org.uk

In addition to the news in Radical Bulletin, and Lord Bonkers’ thoughts, what’s inside this issue?

WHITEHALL DINOSAURS THREATEN STABILITY

A walk on the Jurassic Coast reminds Sarah Olney MP that cliff edges in the

benefits and VAT systems undermine personal security and small businesses

 

LABOUR’S BLIND SPOT ON SOCIAL CARE 

Solutions to the social care crisis are well-known but always blocked by the

Treasury. The government could grasp this nettle, but won’t, and the charge

sheet is long, says Claire Tyler

 

UKRAINE, GAZA AND THE UK’S ROLE

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Rebecca Jones

For a lot of trans people, it’s hard to feel pride right now

By Rebecca Jones | Sun 8th June 2025 - 9:08 am

Just a few years ago it looked like our country was moving in the right direction. There was a broad consensus for trans rights, things were moving forward. Yet now, not only have trans rights not progressed,  they have actually regressed. Even for the few thousand of us that have gone through the burdensome procedure of getting a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC), we still almost no legal recognition of our true gender.

In the aftermath of the UK Supreme Court ruling, trans people are experiencing a roll back of our rights at a pace not seen since Section 28.  With many companies even instituting ‘bathroom bans’ for trans people – akin to far-right Republican states in America. It’s an incredibly scary time to be trans in the UK right now, and for many of us it seems like it will only get worse. Just recently we saw Conservative politicians proposing amendments to forcibly change all trans people’s identity documents to reflect their birth sex instead of the gender they live as now.  This barely scratches the surface of the tide against us. It’s incredibly difficult to be positive about it all.

And to be honest, we’re scared. I’m scared.

As a community, we have no faith in the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to uphold our rights, with their leadership repeatedly speaking out about trans exclusionary policies. Many of us hoped things would get better after Kishwer Falkner leaves office, but the Labour Government seems determined to install someone who looks like they could be equally opposed to our rights, freedoms and equalities. For many of us, we feel little hope of the situation getting that much better as Labour continues to chase the far right at the expense of vulnerable groups in society. I speak to a lot of trans people, who really cannot see much hope right now, and I don’t have much I can tell them. 

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Mark Valladares

6 June 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 6th June 2025 - 10:30 pm
  • Lib Dems celebrate Sunshine Bill victory
  • Chamberlain supports constituent’s pancreatic cancer petition
  • David Chadwick MP challenges Lloyds CEO over bank closures

Lib Dems celebrate Sunshine Bill victory

  • Liberal Democrat win as Government accept Max Wilkinson’s campaign for renewable energy technology to be mandated for new homes
  • Mandated solar included in the Government’s Future Homes Standard

Max Wilkinson MP is celebrating victory in his campaign for solar energy generation technology to be included in all new homes as standard.

Following his Private Member’s Bill earlier this year – known as the Sunshine Bill – the Government today announced that all new homes will now include renewable energy generation technology as standard.

Max called for the law change shortly after becoming an MP last July, which means he will have successfully campaigned to change the law within one year of being elected.

His Sunshine Bill was debated in the House of Commons in January and received widespread support from industry figures, the public and MPs from all parties.

As a result of his campaign and negotiations with Ministers, Max secured commitments from the government that they would incorporate the measures set out in the Sunshine Bill into the updated Future Homes Standard.

Next week, the Liberal Democrats will be pushing for a vote in Parliament to ensure all new car parks are built with solar panels, with an amendment (NC7) to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

Commenting Max Wilkinson, MP for Cheltenham, said:

This news will help us fight the cost-of-living crisis by lowering people’s energy bills while reducing carbon emissions too.

Mandatory solar and renewable energy generation for new build homes means the next generation of homes will be better for the planet and less expensive to run.

I’ve been campaigning on this since long before I was an MP and was determined to build on its success after I was elected.

I welcome today’s news from the Government and I’m pleased we can all look forward to a brighter future – but there will be more work to do to ensure solar for new builds begins without delay.

Chamberlain supports constituent’s pancreatic cancer petition

Wendy Chamberlain, MP for North East Fife, has joined constituents to deliver a petition to Downing Street urging the government to fund vital research into pancreatic cancer early detection.

Wendy Chamberlain MP joined Isla Gear and her nephew Max and Alfie Bailey-Bearfield, head of Campaigns, Health Improvement, and Policy at Pancreatic Cancer UK at 10 Downing Street to present their petition, which has now garnered over 200,000 signatures online, as well as an open letter from Pancreatic Cancer UK which has almost 71,000 signatures. The letter urges the Government to invest in rolling out new tests to detect pancreatic cancer earlier. Chamberlain later presented a version of the petition in the House of Commons.

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Chris Ward

ALDC by-election Report, 5th June

By Chris Ward | Fri 6th June 2025 - 6:47 pm

This week may have seen a Parliamentary by-election, in Scotland, but there is plenty to report on the local election front, with eight principal local authority polls, each with a Liberal Democrat candidate. Despite the talk of multi-party politics, in terms of local by-elections, it seems to have been a period of 2-party politics win-wise, (albeit not the traditional one), since 1st May. Today’s wins split four each for the Liberal Democrats and Reform UK.

Let’s start in Wokingham, which garnered interest from several parties. Maiden Erlegh & Whitegates is a Conservative defence in a Labour constituency and a Liberal Democrat-run council, and Reform were looking to come through the middle. The Lib Dems have been running the council by virtue of the mayor’s casting vote, but a victory here would give us outright control of the council. Congratulations therefore to Cllr Mike Smith and the Lib Dem team for not only a great council seat gain, but a great council gain too!

Wokingham Borough Council, Maiden Erlegh & Whitegates
Liberal Democrats (Mike Smith): 1028 (31.2%, +3.2)
Labour: 793 (24.1%, -0.2)
Conservative: 788 (23.9%, -4.2)
Reform UK: 486 (14.8%, new)
Green Party: 180 (5.5%, -6.2)
TUSC: 17 (0.5%, new)

Liberal Democrats GAIN from Conservative

There were three polls in West Sussex, where the Lib Dems were looking to defend two and gain one. Congratulations to Cllr Sam Raby for a great gain from the Conservatives, whilst holding of a Reform challenge.

West Sussex County Council, St Leonard’s Forest
Liberal Democrats (Sam Raby): 644 (32.5%, +2.2)
Reform UK: 584 (29.5%, new)
Conservative: 401 (20.2%, -34.3)
Green Party: 259 (13.1%, new)
Labour: 94 (4.7%, -10.4)

Liberal Democrats GAIN from Conservative

The other two West Sussex by-elections were defences in Burgess Hill. First, congratulations to Cllr Jane Davey, whose vote share held up despite Reform UK entering the field.

West Sussex County Council, Burgess Hill North
Liberal Democrats (Jane Davey): 1088 (40.9%, +0.0)
Reform UK: 707 (26.6%, new)
Conservative: 618 (23.3%, -14.9)
Green Party: 153 (5.8%, -5.4)
Labour: 92 (3.5%, -6.2)

Liberal Democrats HOLD

Congratulations too to Cllr Erika Woodhurst-Trueman, who strongly held with over half of the vote.

West Sussex County Council, Hassocks & Burgess Hill South
Liberal Democrats (Erika Woodhurst-Trueman): 1694 (55.3%, -6.6)
Reform UK: 762 (24.9%, new)
Conservative: 310 (10.1%, -15.9)
Green Party: 175 (5.7%, new)
Labour: 123 (4.0%, -8.1)

Liberal Democrats HOLD

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Mary Reid

Lib Dems gain control of Wokingham

By Mary Reid | Fri 6th June 2025 - 5:35 pm

Just a year ago we won the Parliamentary seat of Wokingham with a huge swing. And today, as a result of a Council by-election, we have gained overall control of Wokingham Borough Council.

By the way, don’t confuse Wokingham in Berkshire with Woking in Surrey, which we also control.

The received wisdom was that Lib Dems had to win a Council before they could hope to win a constituency, but now we are seeing the reverse effect. The key thing is that a winning campaign at either level, if carried out with care and foresight, can build local capacity which can be …

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Merlene Emerson

Wherefore the Indo Pacific?  A brief thought piece

By Merlene Emerson | Fri 6th June 2025 - 3:47 pm

The past week has been an eventful one vis a vis discourses relating to the Indo Pacific.  It started for me at a round table held at RUSI’s HQ in Whitehall on Thursday 29th June on the topic of “UK & Europe’s Relations with the Indo-Pacific”.  Then to keeping a watching brief on the Shangri-la Dialogues organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in Singapore (30th May – 1st June), and ending with the Government’s Strategic Defence Review 2025 which was unveiled on Monday 2nd June.

So what is the significance of the “Indo-Pacific” region?  A German academic Karl Hauschofer is often credited with coining the term in the 1920s, referring to the countries connected via the Indian and Pacific Oceans.  However often we see its use as coded expression to exclude any mention of China, by far the most influential power in the region.  The Indo-Pacific has become more commonly used in the context of defence and security issues whereas “Asia Pacific” would for example be a more neutral term, whilst ASEAN+5, or signatories to CPTPP or RCEP (both excluding the US) more specific references where discussions revolved around trade matters.

The round table at RUSI organized by the Centre for Geopolitics, Cambridge was focused on the study of the Indo-Pacific to cover security, economic and other dimensions.  However inevitably discussions would lead back to the US and China rivalry – the elephant and dragon in the room!  This was of course unavoidable given that we are in the era of Trump 2.0 with rapidly shifting geo-political sands, not to mention and a full-blown trade war between the US and the rest of the world!

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Hina Bokhari

Disability inclusion can’t wait – Why won’t Sadiq Khan act?

By Hina Bokhari | Fri 6th June 2025 - 12:59 pm

As the Labour Party prepares to make devastating cuts to disability support, the Mayor of London has remained conspicuously silent. While Labour leaders in other parts of the country have spoken out, Sadiq Khan has so far proved content to more or less toe the party line.

Yet with hundreds of thousands of disabled Londoners set to be hit by sweeping cuts to Personal Independence Payment, whatever his political calculations may be, there is still no excuse for Sadiq Khan failing to step up now as Mayor and use every lever at his disposal to engage and support disabled Londoners in response.

Disabled people are already feeling abandoned and scapegoated by Westminster. Now, more than ever, London’s Mayor should be charting a different course — not with vague pledges or sympathetic soundbites, but with meaningful, decisive action and engagement.

One demand has come up again and again from disability rights groups: appoint a dedicated Disability Champion in City Hall. Someone with lived experience, real authority, and the mandate to ensure disabled voices are not just heard occasionally but embedded in every stage of policymaking.

Over 1.2 million disabled Londoners face daily, systemic barriers in accessing their own city. They deserve leadership with focus and accountability. This isn’t a matter of symbolism. London has a Commissioner for Walking and Cycling. Why not one for disability equality?

That’s why, working with Inclusion London, I introduced a motion last September calling for exactly that. It passed unanimously – backed by every party in the London Assembly. Yet nine months later, the Mayor has done nothing whatsoever to implement it. He insists his Deputy Mayor for Social Justice is “good enough,” despite repeated feedback from campaigners that it isn’t.

Because all too often we still see a total failure across GLA bodies to include Disabled Londoners. Take the “Towards a New London Plan” consultation, a flagship planning strategy launched without accessible formats like Easy Read or British Sign Language versions, excluding both people with learning disabilities and deaf Londoners.

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Jack Meredith

How should the Welsh Liberal Democrats fight the Senedd elections?

By Jack Meredith | Fri 6th June 2025 - 10:19 am

A few days ago, I authored an opinion piece examining the measures the Welsh Liberal Democrats must undertake to avert total defeat in the 2026 Senedd elections. This piece advocates for a renewed emphasis on federalism, and as one commentator articulated, “Devo-Maxing” (a term I have come to employ quite frequently).  

In this article, I intend to investigate an alternate approach that embraces the principles of social democracy.  

It is widely acknowledged that Wales embodies a social-democratic ethos. Since 1999, it has consistently elected Labour into government, routinely repudiating free-market rhetoric in favour of left-of-centre ideals, regardless of whether a Conservative or Labour administration presents the rhetoric. From David Lloyd George’s People’s Budget, the establishment of the welfare state and pension schemes, to Nye Bevan’s implementation of Beveridge’s concepts to realise the National Health Service, to Rhodri Morgan’s notion of “clear red water” distinguishing Welsh Labour from Tony Blair’s New Labour, social democracy intricately permeates the fabric of Welsh identity.  

It is, therefore, quite remarkable that only one Liberal Democrat leader has ever addressed the Trade Union Congress: the late, esteemed Charles Kennedy.  

Mr. Kennedy delivered a speech at the conference on Wednesday, September 11, 2002, following the address by former TUC general secretary John Monks at the Liberal Democrat conference held on Wednesday, September 20, 2000.  

During his address, Mr. Kennedy articulated how some of the earliest trade union members in Britain were affiliated with the Liberal Party and emphasized that Beveridge posited that liberty transcended mere freedom from governmental control; it included liberation from “economic servitude to want and squalor and other social evils.” He highlighted that the Liberal Democrats champion dialogue and cooperation with both sectors of industry, acknowledging that, while disagreements with union perspectives may arise, we remain committed to listening and addressing their concerns.  

As we transition to contemporary Wales, we observe that Welsh Labour have significantly diminished from their former stature. Current First Minister Eluned Morgan was compelled by her party to condemn the UK government’s decision to reduce support for the most vulnerable, lamentably stating that voters were “taking Welsh Labour for granted,” and employed fear tactics regarding the potential termination of free prescriptions should another party assume power.  

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Mark Valladares

6 June 2025 – the overnight press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 6th June 2025 - 7:30 am
  • Lib Dems call on Labour Government to rule out real-terms policing budget cuts as unsolved vehicle theft epidemic continues
  • Water company bonuses: Half baked announcement won’t reform industry
  • Government listens to Liberal Democrat calls to end “corridor care” but cannot lead patients “up the garden path”

Lib Dems call on Labour Government to rule out real-terms policing budget cuts as unsolved vehicle theft epidemic continues

  • Shock new data crunched by the Liberal Democrats reveals that last year, more than 75% of vehicle thefts went unsolved while just 2% of cases resulted in a suspect being charged or summonsed.
  • 13 police forces in England and Wales had at least 75% of all vehicle theft cases unsolved in 2024.
  • This follows speculation that police funding will face real-terms cuts in next week’s Spending Review, which has been condemned by police chiefs across the country.
  • The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to keep their promises on neighbourhood policing by ruling out real-terms cuts to policing budgets ahead of the Spending Review.

House of Commons library analysis of official Home Office data on crime outcomes, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, shows a vehicle theft epidemic with the offence becoming ‘effectively decriminalised’. Almost 95,000 cases went unsolved last year.

The City of London force came out worst, with none of its 30 cases last year ending with a suspect being charged. The Metropolitan police followed suit, with only 0.85% of all vehicle theft cases ending with a charge.

Leicestershire police force had a similarly worrying performance last year, with only 1.0% of all cases of vehicle theft ending with a charge. South Yorkshire reported that only 1.2% of cases were charged.

Derbyshire, Gwent and West Yorkshire also all reported that their cases in total had less than a 1.5% of cases ending with a charge.

These shocking figures come after several police chiefs have warned the Labour government that they will not be able to deliver their promises on bolstering neighbourhood policing or halving knife crime and violence against women and girls without proper investment.

The Liberal Democrats are urging the Government to rule out any cuts to policing budgets, following speculation that the Home Office will face real-terms cuts at the upcoming Spending Review.

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Mark Valladares

5 June 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 5th June 2025 - 11:45 pm
  • Royal College of Radiologists report: if Government “doesn’t take its head out of the sand” patients will “pay the price”
  • Zia Yusuf resignation: leading UK DOGE by example
  • Lib Dems make final pitch to Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse voters
  • Scotland has worst shortage of oncologists in UK
  • Local MP uncovers rail funding scandal

  • Royal College of Radiologists report: if Government “doesn’t take its head out of the sand” patients will “pay the price”

    Responding to two reports by the Royal College of Radiologists, which revealed that 9 in 10 cancer centre leaders reported delays to patients starting treatment, and 7 in 10 were concerned about staff shortages putting patient safety at risk, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said:

    This report should be yet another wake up call for Ministers that they cannot ignore the crisis in cancer any longer. We are seeing waiting times grow longer and the rate of early diagnosis stall, with the Government at risk of sleepwalking through a disaster while patients face dangerous delays and overstretched NHS staff are left at breaking point.

    If the Government doesn’t take its head out of the sand and act now, it is patients who will pay the price. The upcoming NHS workforce plan must rapidly expand the number of cancer nurses and modernise treatment before more lives are put at risk.

    The Liberal Democrats have long been campaigning to ensure the conditions are in place to guarantee patients can start their treatment within two months of an urgent referral to get them the care they deserve.

    Zia Yusuf resignation: leading UK DOGE by example

    Responding to Zia Yusuf resigning as Reform UK Chairman, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said:

    By sacking himself, Zia Yusuf seems to be leading the “UK DOGE” by example. You have to admire his commitment to the cause.

    It’s already clear Reform UK cannot deliver for the communities they are elected to stand up for. Instead, they have copied the Conservative playbook of fighting like rats in a sack.

    Lib Dems make final pitch to Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse voters

    Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, Aisha Mir has made her final pitch to voters, pledging a vision of a Scotland that is back to its best.

    Aisha Mir is a businesswoman, Children’s Panel member and carer who has also served as the party’s spokesperson for human rights and older people.

    She has been active in a number of projects & campaigns supporting unpaid carers, welfare for the elderly, human rights, diversity and inequality.

    Aisha Mir, Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, said:

    For too many people, it feels like nothing works anymore.

    The SNP have failed Scotland for eighteen years. The Conservatives are lurching to extremes. Labour are already letting people down. Reform have no real solutions.

    I’m in politics to get things done. I want to be a hard working local champion who will put your priorities first.

    Only the Scottish Liberal Democrats are offering you a vision of a Scotland that is back to its best.

    A Scotland where people can see a GP and an NHS dentist in good time.

    A Scotland that once again gives our children a world-class education.

    A Scotland with a growing economy and growing businesses, where the government looks after your money and works with our neighbours.

    Vote Scottish Liberal Democrat for a candidate who is focused on what really matters to you.

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Mark Valladares

4 June 2025 – yesterday’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 5th June 2025 - 10:05 pm
  • Liberal Democrats call on Government to rule out cuts for frontline policing ahead of spending review
  • Winter Fuel Payments U-turn: a “debacle” causing “needless misery” and the Chancellor should apologise
  • Free school meals expansion: “victory” for campaigners and struggling families
  • Greene comments as cost of replacement ferry charter hits £22m
  • Jardine: Chancellor must apologise to Scottish pensioners for winter fuel mess
  • Lib Dems comment on ferries procurement news for Northern Isles

Liberal Democrats call on Government to rule out cuts for frontline policing ahead of spending review

Sir Mark Rowley, the head of the Metropolitan Police has warned Keir Starmer there will be “far-reaching consequences” if the Government makes cuts to policing in the upcoming spending review.

In response, the Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Lisa Smart MP said:

Slashing funding for the police would be a serious mistake and likely worsen the epidemic of unsolved crimes across our country.

The Government must heed the advice of our most senior police officers and rule out any cuts to frontline policing ahead of the Spending Review.

Anything short of this would risk Labour abandoning their pledge to cut crime and keep local our communities safe.

Winter Fuel Payments U-turn: a “debacle” causing “needless misery” and the Chancellor should apologise

Responding to the Chancellor announcing that the changes to the Winter Fuel Payment thresholds will be in place for this winter with the new thresholds to be announced at the Spending Review, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

This whole debacle has caused needless misery for millions of pensioners.

We will look at the details of the changes at the Spending Review next week. In the meantime the Chancellor should apologise to all those pensioners who had to freeze this winter because of this senseless policy.

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Caron Lindsay

Good luck to Aisha Mir tomorrow

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 4th June 2025 - 8:59 am

Tomorrow, there is a Scottish Parliament by-election in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse which was caused by the very sad death of the wonderful SNP MSP Christine McKelvie in March.

Our candidate is my brilliant friend Aisha Mir who had done such a great job of representing the party in challenging circumstances.

Reform is throwing the kitchen sink at this campaign. Nigel Farage, again being anywhere but Clacton, came to visit earlier this week. Christine Jardine, our Scottish Affairs spokesperson, criticised him for avoiding the media during his brief visit, though I could have lived my life quite happily without the image conjured up by her first sentence:

Once again Nigel Farage is all talk and no trousers.

He’s run away rather than face the press or the voters of Hamilton.

This is just a taste of how Nigel Farage lets down everyone who ever trusts him.

There are a lot of people are frustrated that they have been let down by the SNP, Conservatives and Labour but it’s the Liberal Democrats who are offering real change, not Reform. Farage doesn’t care about getting you swift access to a local GP or dentist. We do.

Aisha on the other hand has been doing lots of media. She did an outstanding interview on Good Morning Scotland (here, from about 1 hour 38 in) in which she highlighted her own personal, very recent, experience as a carer for her mum who died recently and talked about how we had the solutions while the likes of Reform only sowed division. She rightly described their recent attack video of Labour leader Anas Sarwar as “scummy tactics.”

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Mark Valladares

3 June 2025 – today’s press releases (part 2)

By Mark Valladares | Tue 3rd June 2025 - 11:00 pm
  • Lib Dems slam Labour’s defence of rail funding injustice as “desperate”
  • Cole-Hamilton: Fix care to fix the NHS
  • Scot Lib Dems comment on road death figures

Lib Dems slam Labour’s defence of rail funding injustice as “desperate”

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have sharply criticised the Labour Government following comments from Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Transport Ken Skates, who appeared to defend the UK Government’s position on rail funding for Wales.

The row was sparked by information uncovered by the Welsh Liberal Democrats, revealing that the new multi-billion-pound Oxford-Cambridge East-West rail line is set to be designated as an “England and Wales” project.

This classification could deprive Wales of an additional £360 million in consequential rail funding for its own network.

In response, Ken Skates claimed the UK Labour Government “acknowledges that it shortchanges Wales” and pointed to an “ambitious pipeline of improvements” for Welsh rail. However, the Welsh Liberal Democrats dismissed his defence as “desperate,” noting that no major rail projects are currently planned for Wales.

The Lib Dems have argued that the current evidence shows that any new funding from the UK Government in the spending review is likely to be minor, and not make up for the large shortfalls caused by the use of the “England and Wales” classification over recent years.

The party also referenced a Freedom of Information request they submitted, which revealed that neither North nor South Wales electrification is being actively considered by Labour.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds stated that the UK Labour Government could immediately reclassify HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail, and East-West Rail as “England-only” projects—freeing up funds for Wales. She also highlighted that the government could easily bring forward legislation to devolve rail powers fully to the Welsh Government if it had the political will to do so.

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Mark Valladares

3 June 2025 – today’s press releases (part 1)

By Mark Valladares | Tue 3rd June 2025 - 9:30 pm
  • Cancer in the UK report: progress in fighting disease must be “celebrated” but “cannot become complacent”
  • Interim Water Commission: cleaning up water industry will “take more than a hose down”
  • Govt needs to bite the bullet and put Thames Water into special administration
  • Health and social care services face £200 million overspend

Cancer in the UK report: progress in fighting disease must be “celebrated” but “cannot become complacent”

Responding to the Cancer Research UK’s Cancer in the UK report, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said:

The progress that we have made in fighting cancer in recent decades must be celebrated, but we cannot become complacent. There is still so much more we need to do.

We are seeing waiting times grow longer and the rate of early diagnosis stall, all of which could see us squander these years of progress that have given many people the chance to live long and healthy lives.

To do that, we need to see the Government show real ambition in rebuilding cancer services by investing in more radiology machines and rapidly expanding the number of cancer nurses.

That needs to lead us to a point where patients have a legal right to start their treatment within two months of an urgent referral so they can get the care they deserve and potentially save thousands of lives.

Interim Water Commission: cleaning up water industry will “take more than a hose down”

Responding to Sir John Cunliffe’s interim water commission report, Tim Farron MP, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson, said:

This report makes it painfully clear that water companies can pollute and make profit with impunity – all at customers’ expense. At the heart of the sewage scandal is a regulatory system which has failed.

It’s going to take more than a hose down to clean up the water industry. It’s time for Ofwat to go and the Commission must now make this plain.

If Ofwat remains in name or nature, the government will have failed in their aims to improve our waterways and address public outrage with serious regulatory reform.

Liberal Democrats will continue our campaign to replace Ofwat with a new regulator to clean up our waterways for good.

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Jack Meredith

NHS forerunner – Conversations with my grandparents

By Jack Meredith | Tue 3rd June 2025 - 10:48 am

Throughout my life, I have had the privilege of living in a household with both my parents and grandparents.

During this period, I have been fortunate to hear my grandparents recount stories from their childhoods. Both my grandmother and grandfather, whom I affectionately refer to as my nan and bampa, grew up both before and after the establishment of the National Health Service (NHS). I wish to share some of these anecdotes with you today.

My nan was born on November 5th, 1935, in Briton Ferry, South Wales. As one of four daughters, she had a father who dedicated his entire career to engineering, while her mother remained at home to care for the children. She was attended to hand and foot by an adoring mother, and her father ensured that there was always food on the table and a gift for each daughter at Christmas.

At the age of four, she began to develop a back issue that necessitated her mother taking her to “the clinic.” This clinic was a group of physicians who provided free, on-demand medical care to the local community, often operating from their own residences and offering walk-in appointments throughout the day.

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Neil Casey

Ideology over Industry: the SNP’s Defence blind spot

By Neil Casey | Tue 3rd June 2025 - 8:30 am

Over the weekend, the SNP Government’s decision to withhold a £2.5 million Scottish Enterprise grant for a Clyde-based submarine welding centre laid bare its flawed approach to defence and industrial policy. Rolls-Royce had already pledged £11 million in specialist equipment for the facility, intended to deliver advanced welding techniques, reduce carbon emissions, and create hundreds of high-value jobs. Yet Holyrood classified the project as “munitions”-related, despite Rolls-Royce clarifying that its nuclear propulsion systems are not used for delivering warheads. UK Defence Secretary John Healey condemned the move as “student-politics” that will undermine vital skills development and cost generations of Scottish workers hundreds of decent jobs. In effect, by grouping any submarine-adjacent work under a blanket anti-munitions policy, the SNP has chosen ideological purity over Scotland’s economic and security interests.

The question for Scotland is whether our engineers, welders, and high-tech firms will benefit from the surge in UK defence spending, or be shut out by Holyrood’s self-indulgent obstruction.

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Mark Valladares

2 June 2025 – today’s other press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 2nd June 2025 - 11:55 pm
  • Cole-Hamilton challenges Farage to pronounce Scottish place names
  • Outrage as Oxford-Cambridge Rail Project classed as “England & Wales”
  • Farage attacks on media are “Trumpian”
  • Lib Dems comment on Farage skipping media

Cole-Hamilton challenges Farage to pronounce Scottish place names

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today accused Nigel Farage of playing a con on the people of Scotland as the Reform UK leader makes his first visit to Scotland since being chased into an Edinburgh pub in 2013.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said:

Nigel Farage is trying to con Scots.

If you live in Kirkcudbright, Milngavie, Penicuik or Garioch, Nigel Farage has absolutely nothing to offer you. He probably wouldn’t even be able pronounce your town.

He’ll breeze in promising the world but with no actual plan for how to make people’s lives better.

I understand that a lot of people are frustrated that they have been let down by the SNP, Conservatives and Labour but it’s the Liberal Democrats who are offering real change, not Reform. We are passionate local campaigners focused on getting you swift access to local healthcare and ensuring that schools are safe places for our kids.

Last year’s general election and the recent English local elections show that we are winning again. If you want change, come with us.

Outrage as Oxford-Cambridge Rail Project classed as “England & Wales”

Wales Short-Changed Again as £6.6bn Rail Investment Project in the Home Counties Results in No Consequential Funding for Wales

The UK Government has confirmed that Wales will not receive Barnett consequentials from the £6.6 billion East-West Rail project between Oxford and Cambridge — a decision that has been slammed by the Welsh Liberal Democrats as yet another example of Labour short-changing Wales on vital infrastructure funding.

Despite the rail scheme being entirely in England, the Treasury has confirmed Wales will not receive Barnett consequentials from the project. Were Wales to be treated like Scotland, it could have received around £360 million in consequential funding to spend on transport projects in Wales.

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Mark Valladares

2 June 2025 – today’s Federal press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 2nd June 2025 - 11:45 pm
  • Davey on Strategic Defence Review: get to 3% faster and reverse troop cuts
  • Submarine announcement could be “damp squib” without funding ambition – Lib Dems
  • Davey on Starmer interview: “concerning lack of urgency”
  • Starmer’s comments on Winter Fuel U-turn shows “the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing”
  • Revealed: Armed forces have shrunk by 2,000 since Labour Government elected

Davey on Strategic Defence Review: get to 3% faster and reverse troop cuts

  • Ed Davey brands 2034 target for 3% defence spending as “far too late” and urges cross-party talks to “move faster”.
  • Lib Dems press for full reversal of Conservatives’ troop cuts as essential step.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has said that “page one” of the Review must include a cast-iron commitment to “boost defence spending to 3% of GDP as soon as possible”.

He said that the 2034 timeline set out by John Healey was “far too late” and showed “a complete lack of urgency” from the Government. The Liberal Democrats have urged cross-party talks to move faster given the threats faced with war on the continent.

The Liberal Democrats first called for a clear roadmap to 3% in January.

The Liberal Democrats are also calling for the Government to commit to a full reversal of the Conservatives’ cut of 10,000 troops in today’s Strategic Defence Review, adding that this is essential to deliver for Britain’s security in an increasingly unstable world.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

With Putin waging war, Trump undermining NATO and conflicts raging, the Strategic Defence Review must deliver for our armed forces and for Britain’s security in an increasingly unstable world. Anything less would be a dereliction of duty.

Page one of the Review must include a firm commitment to boost defence spending to 3% of GDP as soon as possible. 2034 is far too late given the threats we face, and shows a complete lack of urgency. I urge the Prime Minister to organise cross-party talks to move faster to 3% to keep our nation safe.

Submarine announcement could be “damp squib” without funding ambition – Lib Dems

Responding to the Government’s announcement that the UK will build up to 12 new attack submarines, Liberal Democrat Defence Spokesperson Helen Maguire said:

This signals absolutely the right intent about the need to bolster the UK’s defences in the face of Putin’s imperialism and Trump’s unreliability.

But this must come with a concrete commitment and detail on full funding. Labour’s mere ‘ambition’ rather than commitment to reach 3% of GDP on defence leaves serious questions about whether the money for these projects will actually be forthcoming. The 2034 timeline suggests a worrying lack of urgency from the Government.

Unless Labour commits to holding cross-party talks on how to reach 3% much more rapidly than the mid-2030s, this announcement risks becoming a damp squib.

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Mathew Hulbert

Mathew on Monday – When will the Lib Dem leadership defend immigration?

By Mathew Hulbert | Mon 2nd June 2025 - 4:30 pm

A quote from a speech given this past week:

But let us say this clearly.
This country could not survive without immigrants. It requires immigration. This continent requires immigration if we are to prosper. I ask you. In the 1960s who drove the buses that kept this city moving.

Immigrants.

Who kept the factories running when there was labour shortages like my grandfather who worked in the Singer sowing machine factory in Clydebank?

It was immigrants.

Today when our loved ones need care be that in the NHS or our social care system who is there propping up our vital public services?

Immigrants.

When the crops need picking, the parcels need delivering, and the children need teaching who’s ready and willing to put in the hard graft?

Immigrants.

The truth is this country doesn’t just benefit from immigration, though it does.
It needs immigrants.

I’d love to be able to say that this powerful, full-throated defence of immigration and immigrants was made by a Lib Dem leader/MP/MSP etc. But it wasn’t. It was made by SNP MSP and former First Minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf.

And three cheers for him for what was an important, timely, and, in the current political climate, really rather brave contribution to a national conversation which often sees political leaders (current or former) on a race to the bottom of the barrel and grasping for increasingly insulting and dehumanising rhetoric which shames our nation.

When I saw the clip of Yousaf’s speech it got me thinking. When was the last time any prominent Liberal Democrat made a similarly clear, strong willed, and heartfelt defence of immigration? Anyone remember?

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Mark Valladares

30 May/1 June – a long weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 2nd June 2025 - 11:41 am
  • Military housing: high time for Govt to “get out of the slow lane” and apply decent homes standard
  • Lib Dems on Healey comments: Government “dragging its feet” on reversing Army cuts
  • IFS Briefing: Lib Dems say Government ministers will be “bailing water from a sinking boat with a spoon” if they ignore fixing social care
  • Welsh Lib Dems Respond to Mark Drakeford National Insurance Bombshell
  • Scottish Government rebuked by own watchdog over sewage dumping

Military housing: high time for Govt to “get out of the slow lane” and apply decent homes standard

Responding to the Government’s military housing announcement today , Helen Maguire MP, Liberal Democrat Defence Spokesperson, said:

We’ve been fighting for the Government to get out of the slow lane when it comes to fixing the homes of our military families for years. After years of the Conservatives turning a blind eye, I’m glad to see this Government has finally come to their senses and listened.

Those bravely defending our country deserve proper housing without leaks, mould, floods and freezing temperatures.

But it’s disappointing to see the Government refuse to commit to bring all military homes under the decent homes standard – a change the Lib Dems will continue to champion, so no military family has to suffer in a second-rate home.

Lib Dems on Healey comments: Government “dragging its feet” on reversing Army cuts

Responding to Defence Secretary John Healey confirming that the British Army will not be increased in size this parliament, Liberal Democrat Defence Spokesperson Helen Maguire said:

From lax recruitment goals to slow spending promises, the Government is simply not addressing our defence issues urgently enough. The previous Conservative governments irresponsibly slashed troop numbers, and it’s desperately disappointing to now see Labour dragging its feet on reversing those reckless cuts.

With a war raging on our continent and the twin dangers of an unreliable Trump and an imperialist Putin, we are presented with a once-in-a-generation threat to the UK’s security.

It’s time the Government committed to urgently reversing the Conservatives’ 10,000 troop cut to address that threat.

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Caron Lindsay

It’s Pride month – protest has not been needed this much for a long time

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 1st June 2025 - 10:11 pm

In a week where Nigel Farage seems to have had the stage to himself to talk about his plans to do away with anything remotely woke and to get women, British women that is, (and we all know what he mean by that) to have lots of babies, to ruminate on curtailing access to abortion, we can see that the right are not going to stop curtailing people’s freedoms once they’ve dealt with trans people.

This year’s Pride month comes as the rights of trans people have already been rolled back as a result of over-zealous interpretation of April’s Supreme Court Judgement. The Scottish Parliament announced that trans people would have to use gender neutral toilets at Holyrood and that male and female facilities would be based on “biological sex.” That is hugely problematic as it could require staffers to out themselves. That is why if I were there, I would feel that I would need to use the gender neutral facilities in solidarity.

Alex Cole-Hamilton questioned the Parliament’s Corporate Body about this last week after he was a signatory to a cross-party open letter expressing concern about the changes:

Christine Grahame suggests that the decision was taken on the basis of the need to balance the legal responsibilities of the Parliament related to the Supreme Court judgment. However, as we heard from Patrick Harvie, the former Supreme Court Justice Lord Sumption has made it clear that there are no legal responsibilities for the Parliament. He said that judges did not take a side and that the judgment does not provide an obligation to create single-sex spaces—it is a matter of choice for institutions. The EHRC has been challenged on how it will police that. We have heard about the use of birth certificates. I understand that the SPCB does not expect this to be policed, but others may. Can I ask that no parliamentary staff member will be put in the position of having to challenge a toilet user in the future?

Contrary to the view that this subject is simply a load of nonsense, many members are far more concerned about the wellbeing of those who choose to make the Parliament their workplace. We owe them dignity and respect. Given the answer to a previous question, I ask the corporate body simply to ensure that the aforementioned complaints procedure must not and will not be used as a means of prejudicing anyone in the Parliament, nor to force the disclosure of any details of their private life, including their status relative to their gender.
We have seen backlashes like this before. 21 years after Roy Jenkins as Home Secretary legalised homosexuality came Section 28 which made it impossible for LGBT young people to seek or receive support at school. The impact this had on many of my friends was profound and they have never forgotten how stigmatised they felt.
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Simon McGrath

LGA Group elections under way

By Simon McGrath | Sun 1st June 2025 - 12:55 pm

The elections for the Officers of  the Lib Dem Group at the Local Government Association and for Lib Dem members of various Boards have started.

When nominations closed on 23 May, three of the most senior officer roles were unopposed and saw the incumbents re-elected :

  • Cllr Joe Harris, who recently stepped down from his role as Leader of Cotswold District Council, will be starting his third term as Leader.
  • Cllr Bridget Smith, who is Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, continues as Deputy Leader.
  • Cllr Heather Kidd, who has just become Leader of Shropshire Council, will continue as the Group Whip.

Cllr  Harris said:

It’s an honour to be re-elected to lead the Lib Dem group at the LGA, especially at a time when local government is under more pressure than ever. Whether it was the chaos and neglect of the Conservative years or the centralising instincts of the new Labour government, local councils are too often ignored or undermined by Westminster. I’m determined to fight that head-on—demanding proper funding, real devolution, and genuine respect for the work our councillors do day in, day out. We’ve made big strides in amplifying our voice and improving our influence, from boosting communications to building alliances in Parliament—but we’re only just getting started. I’ll keep standing up for our communities, our councillors, and the liberal values that set us apart, and look forward to working with colleagues across the country to do this.

The only leadership position to be contested is that of Group Chair. Here, the incumbent Cllr Lucy Nethsingha, Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, is opposed by Cllr Carl Cashman, Leader of the Lib Dem Group on Liverpool Council.

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Mo Waqas

Legalise Cannabis, save lives: it’s time to take power back from criminal gangs

By Mo Waqas | Sun 1st June 2025 - 10:55 am

Let’s be blunt: Britain’s war on drugs has failed. From cannabis to crack cocaine, we’ve chosen criminalisation over compassion, prohibition over prevention and the result has been more addiction, more crime, and more lives destroyed.

I’ve worked in prisons. I run care services. I’ve seen the human cost of our broken policies—kids groomed into gangs, people with addiction sent to jail rather than treatment, families torn apart. It doesn’t have to be this way.

We need to legalise and regulate cannabis and we need to start having serious conversations about the wider reform of drug laws, including decriminalising hard drugs and investing in public health instead of punishment.

Cannabis is Britain’s most-used illegal drug. According to the ONS, over 3 million adults in England and Wales used it last year. Yet every gram bought illegally is fuelling a black market worth an estimated £2.6 billion.

That money doesn’t go to schools, hospitals or addiction services—it goes to organised gangs, traffickers, and violent criminals. In 2023, the National Crime Agency confirmed over 2,000 active county lines networks exploiting children to move cannabis and other drugs.

Legalisation would cut off that funding at the source. It would allow for:

  • Regulated sales through licensed vendors
  • Age restrictions and health warnings
  • Controlled THC levels to reduce harm
  • Tax revenue to reinvest in communities

Canada has shown this works. Since legalising cannabis in 2018, they’ve raised over C$1.5 billion in tax revenue, reduced black market activity, and introduced strict advertising and packaging rules. Public support has increased, not fallen.

Critics always ask, “If you legalise cannabis, what next—heroin?” But in Portugal, they didn’t legalise heroin. They decriminalised it—and the results are staggering.

The impact:

  • Drug-related deaths dropped by over 80%
  • HIV infections from drug use fell by 94%
  • The prison population fell dramatically
  • Drug use did not spike—especially among young people

As of 2023, Portugal has one of the lowest overdose death rates in Europe at 6 per million, compared to over 80 per million in the UK.

Switzerland took a bold step with heroin. They introduced medically supervised heroin-assisted treatment (HAT) for people with severe opioid addiction. Patients receive pharmaceutical-grade heroin in clinics, under medical supervision.

This programme didn’t create more drug users—it did the opposite:

  • Crime among participants dropped by 60%
  • HIV transmission plummeted
  • Overdose deaths nearly disappeared
  • Participants regained stable housing and employment

Switzerland’s policy now enjoys over 70% public approval. It’s been replicated in Germany, the Netherlands, and Canada.

Oregon decriminalised possession of all drugs in 2020 through Ballot Measure 110. While the rollout faced issues, the principle remains sound.

Already, arrest rates have dropped by over 90% for drug possession, and millions of dollars in cannabis revenue are being invested into addiction recovery services.

The UK approach is stuck in the 1980s – just say no, lock them up, and hope the problem goes away. But we know better now.

We know that addiction is a health issue, not a criminal one. We know that prohibition fuels crime, not safety. And we know that public opinion is shifting.

A 2023 YouGov poll showed 55% of Brits support cannabis legalisation, rising to 63% among young adults.

The British Medical Journal, Royal Society of Public Health, and Transform Drug Policy Foundation all support moving towards a health-based model.

What the UK could do right now

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Caron Lindsay

Remembering Charles Kennedy 10 years on

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 1st June 2025 - 8:50 am

I can’t believe that it is a decade today since we lost Charles Kennedy.  I don’t think I’ll ever forget the moment I first heard the news and how upset I and so many others felt.

His sudden death at the age of 55, from a haemorrhage linked to the effects of alcoholism, came just three weeks after he lost his Ross, Skye and Lochaber seat. He had been in Parliament 32 years, virtually all his adult life.

Ed Davey said today:

Ten years on, we still feel the loss of Charles Kennedy. Charles was principled, kind and possessed an unmatched talent for connecting with people – he was a great friend and an outstanding leader. I know he would have been so proud to see his old seat back in Lib Dem hands.

He was a politician who had the gift of really being able to connect with people and to meet them where they were.  He was one of he few politicians to be praised by both sides during the Independence Referendum in 2014. I’m writing this from my favourite part of his former seat where people remember his compassion and courage.

Just after his defeat, he wrote an article for us, which is reproduced in full below.

I am very fond of political history. If nothing else, we can all reflect on and perhaps tell our grandchildren that we were there on “The night of long sgian dubhs!”

I would very much like to thank my home team. They have been so energetic, dedicated and selfless to the task. Indeed, with them, I would like to thank the very many over the years who have made possible the previous seven successful general election campaigns locally.

I spare a thought for, and this is true of so many constituencies, for members of staff. It is one thing for elected representatives to find themselves at the mercy of the electorate; it is quite something else for the other loyal and skilled people who, sadly, will in due course be searching for employment. I wish them well and stand ready to help. I am sure that their professionalism will stand them in good stead.

It has been the greatest privilege of my adult and public life to have served, for 32 years, as the Member of Parliament for our local Highlands and Islands communities. I would particularly like to thank the generation of voters, and then some, who have put their trust in me to carry out that role and its responsibilities.

Locally, I wish my successor the very best. The next House of Commons will have to finalise the Smith Commission package, giving effect to the referendum “Vow” over further powers. I am saddened not to be involved in that process.

However, from the perspective of the Highlands & Islands, the case for more powers being returned to us which have been lost to the Central Belt over the past five years, has to be heard as well.

On the national picture, I am indeed sorry to learn of Nick’s decision but respect entirely his characteristic sense of personal, political and party principle.

The eligible candidates must reflect with care and collectively before we rush into the best way forward – out of this political debris we must build with thought and care.

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Richard Dickson

Why Aynuk and Ayli should be bothered

By Richard Dickson | Sat 31st May 2025 - 9:38 am

This month’s publication of research into how Britons feel about the region in which they live makes fascinating reading. It also contains a warning for champions of local government reorganisation and planning reform in England.

Only in one English region, the North-East, does the research show that people have a strong attachment (48%) to their region. Midlanders show the least feeling for where they live.

Just 13% of West Midlanders and 11% of East Midlanders hold a very strong attachment to their respective region. Only 7% of people in the West Midlands believe our region is a better place to live in …

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Mark Valladares

30 May 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 30th May 2025 - 10:30 pm
  • More than 90% of standard-rate PIP claimants could be at risk of losing support in some areas
  • UK-Gulf trade deal: Govt must not sell out farmers and undermine high standards
  • Cole-Hamilton: Scottish Water plan must ensure no more disappointments

More than 90% of standard-rate PIP claimants could be at risk of losing support in some areas

55 constituencies in England could see 90% of those claiming the standard rate of Personal Independence Payment for daily living activities lose at least some of the benefit following the Government’s cuts, a Written Parliamentary Question by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

Under the Government’s plans, from November 2026 people on PIP will be required to score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity to receive support with everyday tasks such as washing and cooking. Those scoring less will lose access to the “daily living” component, which for some will result in a full withdrawal of the benefit.

In England and Wales, every constituency currently sees at least 80% of those receiving the standard rate of PIP at risk of losing support. A staggering 55 constituencies have at least 90% of claimants that fall into this category.

The constituencies with the highest number of those at risk of having support slashed are in Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney and Tipton and Wednesbury, both with 92% of standard-rate of PIP claimants not scoring four points on all categories of the Government’s test. The worst affected region was Wales where 90% of those on standard-rate PIP did not score four points.

The Liberal Democrats said that it “lays bare the scale of the damage” the cuts could do, adding to people’s worry and “increasing pressure on local areas where these cuts go the deepest”. The party called on the Government to recognise the cuts’ “devastating impact” and “change course”.

Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions spokesperson, Steve Darling MP said:

This lays bare the scale of the damage that the Government’s cuts could do to some of society’s most vulnerable.

Vast swathes of people could be missing out on vital support, not only adding to their suffering but increasing pressure on local areas where these cuts go the deepest.

This is support that helps people with daily tasks that many of us would take for granted, such as staying clean or staying safe and also helps many people stay in work.

The Government must recognise the devastating impact that these cuts could have and change course.

UK-Gulf trade deal: Govt must not sell out farmers and undermine high standards

Responding to reports that the UK Government is set to sign a new trade agreement with the Gulf States, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson and Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said:

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Chris Ward

ALDC by-election Report, 29th May

By Chris Ward | Fri 30th May 2025 - 4:32 pm

This week saw 4 by-elections, with 3 Liberal Democrat candidates. We get to celebrate one hold, one gain, and one ward having a Lib Dem candidate where there was none last time around.

In Lewes, the Lib Dems have held Newhaven North, where the outgoing councillor had previously switched to independent. Congratulations to Cllr Corina Watts and the team, who increased vote share, whilst holding off a Reform challenge.

Lewes District Council, Newhaven North
Liberal Democrats (Corina Watts): 697 (51.7%, +4.1)
Reform UK: 389 (28.9%, new)
Green Party: 122 (9.1%, +1.8)
Conservative: 59 (4.4%, -14.2)
Independent: 57 (4.2%, -22.2)
Labour: 23 (1.7%, new)

Liberal Democrats HOLD

Meanwhile, in Maldon, Cllr Sarah Dodsley again held off a Reform challenge to gain from the Maldon District Independent Group, in a ward where the Lib Dems hold the other seat. Congratulations to Sarah and the team!

Maldon District Council, Maldon West
Liberal Democrats (Sarah Dodsley): 573 (41.5%, +6.8)
Reform UK: 488 (35.3%, new)
Conservative: 204 (14.8%, -2.6)
Maldon District Inds: 83 (6.0%, -28.5)
Green Party: 33 (2.4%, new)

Liberal Democrats GAIN from Maldon District Independent Group

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Mark Valladares

So much for the changes to candidate selection?

By Mark Valladares | Fri 30th May 2025 - 12:45 pm

Those of you who have read the Party President’s latest missive will have discovered that, last Thursday evening, English Council was invited to ratify the changes needed to enact motion F10 “Constitutional Amendment: Implementing the Lessons of the General Election Review”, as required by the last four lines of the motion:

Conference further notes that implementing these changes will require agreement by the State Parties under Article 2.10(c) and encourages them to give their assent as soon as practical this year.

It didn’t exactly go to plan though as, whilst English Council delegates voted in favour of granting assent, the two-thirds majority required was not reached. Accordingly, assent has not come from the English Party, and the formal work of the proposed new Joint Candidates Sub-Committee is thus in abeyance of sorts.

The Chair of the English Party, Caroline Pidgeon, is quoted as follows:

Since last night’s meeting I have been contacted by many members, wanting clarity about the next steps. Given the clearly expressed desire for change, this issue is not going to disappear. I want to reassure you that as the Chair of the Liberal Democrats in England, I will be speaking with others about an appropriate way forward to find a suitable and acceptable solution that allows for the clear views of the wider membership and English Council to be respected, but that also addresses the outstanding concerns raised at English Council. This will take a few weeks to consider and reflect.

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Jack Meredith

Labour benefit cuts: a burden for the poor, a boon for Farage

By Jack Meredith | Fri 30th May 2025 - 9:57 am

After 14 years of misgovernance, turmoil, and ongoing reductions to public services, the Conservatives have lost power, allowing the Labour Party to reclaim Number 10. Nevertheless, recent actions suggest that the Tories’ influence lingers.

The decision to eliminate the Winter Fuel Allowance and reduce benefits aligns with Conservative policies that prioritise a “balanced budget” over the welfare of the most vulnerable in society. Conversely, Labour has historically prided itself on advocating against poverty and social injustice, exemplified by its efforts to legalise abortion, decriminalise homosexuality, repeal Section 28, and lift millions from poverty.

However, this has shifted. During the 2024 election campaign, Labour spoke of “tight fiscal rules” concerning government spending. Many assumed this was a tactic to placate the right-wing media and prevent a repeat of the 2019 election loss. This view seemed reinforced by initiatives such as renationalising the railways, boosting local community investments, and increasing the defence budget.

The first significant blow came in October 2024 when Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced cuts to that year’s Winter Fuel Allowance. Just 16 years prior, Gordon Brown celebrated this policy as a significant Labour achievement against the Tories.

Shortly after, in March 2025, the government revealed another cut: benefits would be reduced.

Looking back to 2010, Labour and others condemned the Coalition Government’s decision to slash benefits as “inhumane.” Now, fifteen years later, Labour finds itself following the same path.

Some argue that the current state of the country and the world is significantly different from 2010 or even 2020. Many within Labour say that, although they do not favour these changes, they are essential for immediate stability, which will ultimately lead to long-term solutions. Yet, this doesn’t change the fact that millions will face poverty in the name of achieving a “balanced budget.”

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Mark Valladares

29 May 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 29th May 2025 - 11:15 pm
  • Davey on tariffs: summon the US ambassador as Trump chaos “putting Liz Truss to shame”
  • “Scandal” as 400 military families forced to face emergency housing repairs over VE day anniversary
  • Greene comments on stalemate fears over Ardrossan harbour buyout plan
  • Fiscal forecasts expose SNP financial mismanagement coming home to roost
  • Lib Dems back Presiding Officer in Ross row
  • Cole-Hamilton calls for national RAAC fund

Davey on tariffs: summon the US ambassador as Trump chaos “putting Liz Truss to shame”

Responding to the US Court of International Trade ruling that blocks many of Trump’s tariffs, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

The Government must urgently summon the US ambassador to clarify what this court ruling means for Starmer’s recent deal with Donald Trump. The levels of chaos from Trump’s economic policy is putting Liz Truss to shame.

“Scandal” as 400 military families forced to face emergency housing repairs over VE day anniversary

New research obtained by the Liberal Democrats has revealed that 442 military families had to call for urgent repairs on their state-provided housing over the week of VE-day commemorations – with a massive 64,000 requests for urgent repairs clocking up since January 2024.

Parliamentary questions submitted by the Liberal Democrats have revealed that over 440 urgent repair requests were filed by service families in state-provided military homes over the VE-day week.

The party has condemned the Government’s “hypocrisy” as the statistics have come to light. They’ve said it’s “a scandal” that so many serving families had to deal with the fallout of poor accommodation, particularly during a week of celebration for the service of the UK’s Armed Forces personnel and veterans.

The investigation, led by Helen Maguire – the party’s defence spokesperson – also revealed that a massive 64,258 urgent repair requests had been filed by military families since January 2024.

The harsh winter months saw the highest number of callouts by families in military homes, with 5,921 urgent requests submitted in January 2024 and 5,546 in January 2025.

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