Tag Archives: barnett formula

5 June 2025 – today’s press releases

  • 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.

Posted in News, Press releases, Scotland and Wales | Also tagged , , , , , , , , and | Leave a comment

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

  • 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.

Posted in News, Press releases, Scotland and Wales | Also tagged , , , , , and | 4 Comments

31 January 2020 – today’s press release

Jane Dodds: Conservatives are backtracking on their commitment to end austerity

The Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling on the UK Government to apologise for backtracking on a key election commitment to end austerity just two months after the General Election.

Prior to the election, the Conservatives had proclaimed on a number of occasions that “Austerity is over”.

Their 2019 manifesto, upon which this Government was elected, promised the same as well as pledged numerous increases in public spending.

However, over the past two days, there have been numerous reports that the Government is, in fact, preparing to cut spending by up to 5% per …

Posted in News | Also tagged , and | 11 Comments

Nick Clegg: We don’t think it’s fair to make the poorest pay for the wealthiest

Nick clegg on Last LegAs David Cameron rolled out another Tory tax cut for the wealthiest in society, Nick Clegg showed where the Liberal Democrat heart lies by setting out Liberal Democrat plans to deal with the deficit without causing more hardship for the poorest. On welfare, the party intends to make £3.5 billion worth of cuts but these will be targeted at the wealthiest pensioners with the withdrawal of Winter Fuel Allowance and free tv licences from households with a higher rate taxpayer. He said that you have to look at who pays to see where a party’s values lie:

So who is asked to pay is one of the most revealing things a political party can tell you about its values

Who wins and who loses, who will make the sacrifices and who will reap the rewards, tells you where a party’s heart really lies.

The Conservatives appear to believe in making the poorest and the most vulnerable in our society pay for the wealthiest.

Labour appear to want the next generation to pay for the mistakes of this one.

The party is keen to show itself as the compassionate, responsible adult in the room when it comes to balancing the books. They have come up with a detailed plan which should appeal to both Labour-leaning and Conservative-leaning voters in key marginals – and both in Scotland where there is increasing evidence of people being prepared to vote tactically to stop the SNP.

Also included are plans to make non-doms pay more which make more sense than Labour’s garbled plan announced this week, and to reform the Barnett Formula to make it fairer to Wales.

Here is his speech in full:

Posted in News | Also tagged , , and | 30 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • David Evans
    I don't share Tom's certainty when he says "The good news is that unless Trump manages to change the constitution, he is leaving the White House in 3 and a half...
  • Peter Hirst
    Logical argument has its moments. We live in a changing world with more freedom to express your unique take. A modern political party has to accept this. What i...
  • Brenda Will
    @Paul Barker I’m afraid Starmer’s deal with the French - to swop up to 50 per month of those crossing to the UK on small boats for a different 50 asylum se...
  • Peter Hirst
    Peace in the Middle East is most likely to be achieved when there is a more equal balance of military hardware. While Israel maintains such a superior capabilit...
  • Peter Hirst
    These results underline the importance of changing our electoral system to one that is more proportional and is preferential so the winner always gets over half...