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Mark Valladares

30 June 2025 – yesterday’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 1st July 2025 - 9:25 pm
  • Davey: welfare review must listen to the voice of carers
  • Lib Dems call for COBRA meeting as Britain braces for second heatwave
  • Lib Dems reveal 100,000 meters still to be replaced as RTS switch-off begins
  • SNP’s solution to NHS crisis could be delayed or cancelled
  • Greene secures island support fund but questions exclusions

Davey: welfare review must listen to the voice of carers

Ahead of the statement on the welfare bill later today, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has said the Government’s review of the Personal Independence Payments (PIP) must listen to groups representing family carers, as well as disability charities.

Under the Government’s plans, those caring for someone who doesn’t qualify for PIP in future will lose their Carer’s Allowance.

The Liberal Democrats said the Government’s welfare bill should be pulled until the full impact on disabled people and carers has been assessed and published.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

I remain deeply worried about the future impact of these cuts on family carers and the vulnerable people they look after.

Ministers must ensure that this review listens carefully to carers’ charities to understand the impact these changes will have, on family carers themselves, on the NHS and social care.

Carers have been ignored by the Government throughout this whole debacle, their voice must now be heard loud and clear.

Liberal Democrats are clear that we cannot vote for anything that strips disabled people and those who care for them of vital support. The Government needs to go back to the drawing board and pull this bill until they have consulted carers and properly set out the full impacts of these changes.

Lib Dems call for COBRA meeting as Britain braces for second heatwave

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to hold an urgent COBRA meeting on this week’s soaring temperatures.

The party is calling on the Government to ensure proper resilience measures are in place to protect the health service and key national infrastructure which can be acutely affected by heat, with rising hospital admissions and travel delays potentially impacting large areas of the country.

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Mark Valladares

16 June 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 16th June 2025 - 10:45 pm
  • More than 1.3 million PIP claimants at risk of losing support with worst hit areas revealed
  • Davey: Starmer must rule out Trump tax on life-saving drugs
  • Casey Review: Victims must finally get the justice they deserve
  • McArthur: SNP must explain why it is using England as ‘dumping ground’

More than 1.3 million PIP claimants at risk of losing support with worst hit areas revealed

The Government’s cuts to Personal Independence Payments could leave 1.3 million people claiming the standard and enhanced-rate payment for daily living activities at risk of losing some support, analysis of the Government’s response to a Liberal Democrat Written Parliamentary Question 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.

The Government’s response to a Lib Dem Written Parliamentary Question revealed the number of current claimants who did not score at least four points. The figure hit 1.3 million, with 1.1 million standard-rate and 200,000 enhanced-rate claimants at risk. It means that 87% of standard-rate claimants and 13% of the enhanced-rate claimants could lose out.

The analysis also revealed the number of claimants at risk in each constituency. The constituency with the highest number of claimants who could lose support was Liverpool Walton with 5,250 enhanced and standard-rate claimants at risk. This was followed by Blackpool South and Liverpool Riverside with 5,060 and 4,940 respectively.

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Mark Valladares

10 June 2025 – the rest of today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 10th June 2025 - 11:45 pm
  • Cole-Hamilton: Crisis-hit care sector deserves better than a dog’s dinner
  • More than 300 drug deaths in first quarter of 2025
  • Welsh unemployment rise: Labour must scrap their Jobs Tax
  • Fraud and computer misuse make up two fifths of all crime
  • Greenhouse gas stats show Scottish Government has “consistently failed”
  • Greene calls for urgent national review of rural transport

Cole-Hamilton: Crisis-hit care sector deserves better than a dog’s dinner

Ahead of a final vote in the Scottish Parliament on the Care (Reform) Scotland Bill, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today said carers deserve better and that the SNP should apologise for making “a dog’s dinner” of the legislation.

SNP ministers originally proposed a National Care Service to centralise social care services. Scottish Liberal Democrats were the only party to oppose this from the very beginning.

In recent budget negotiations, Scottish Liberal Democrats put a stop to the SNP wasting money on their doomed centralisation, secured millions more for social care and fashioned a new pipeline for care workers through colleges. Liberal Democrats have also called for a new UK-wide national minimum wage for carers that is £2 higher and for care providers to be exempt from the national insurance hike.

Speaking ahead of the vote, which will take place in National Carers Week, Mr Cole-Hamilton said:

The care sector is in crisis and the SNP have shown that they can’t be trusted to fix it.

SNP ministers should apologise to care users and providers across the country for making such a dog’s dinner of this legislation.

Scottish Liberal Democrats were the only party to oppose the SNP’s power grab from day one. We forced it out of the budget after the SNP had thrown away £30 million – money that could have paid the annual salaries of 1,200 care workers.

Carers deserve better and only the Liberal Democrats will deliver a fair deal. We introduced free personal care in Scotland, enshrined the right to carers leave in employment law and have just won a change that will enable family carers to earn more. Ed Davey put it at the heart of our manifesto and has opened up on his own life as a carer.

Carers – paid and unpaid, young and old – do a critical job. They deserve far more support but are too often forgotten and ignored. It’s why our plans would see care workers properly rewarded, high quality care for everyone who needs it and unpaid carers given the fair deal they deserve.

More than 300 drug deaths in first quarter of 2025

Responding to new figures showing that there were 308 suspected drug deaths in the first three months of 2025, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

100 people a month are dying in Scotland’s drug deaths crisis. It is nothing short of a national tragedy.

Drug misuse casts a long shadow across Scotland. That’s why my party made access to drug and alcohol services a major part of our budget negotiations earlier this year.

As a former youth worker with a charity that focused on parental substance use, I was pleased to secure support for a new facility for mothers and their babies born addicted to drugs. That’s key to getting people on the right path, but there is still a mountain to climb.

Scottish Liberal Democrats would give our country the world-class drug services it deserves. From rolling out a nationwide network of safer consumption rooms to new drug checking facilities, it’s time ministers listened to our calls.

Welsh unemployment rise: Labour must scrap their Jobs Tax

Responding to the latest figures showing unemployment in Wales at 4.7%, up 1.3 percentage points on the year, and that the number of paid employees in Wales has decreased by 5,300; Welsh Liberal Democrat Westminster Spokesperson David Chadwick MP said:

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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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Mark Valladares

28 May 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 28th May 2025 - 10:30 pm
  • Thames Water must be turned into a public benefit company
  • Prepayment Meters: victims must see compensation before the winter and debts fully written off
  • Defra cuts: Government treating rural communities with “gobsmacking contempt”
  • Police chiefs letter: police and criminal justice systems need “real leadership” say Lib Dems
  • Scot Lib Dems call for new treatment pathways for neurodiversity
  • McArthur writes to MSPs as France backs assisted dying
  • Jardine calls for the scrapping of the Two Child Cap

Thames Water must be turned into a public benefit company

Speaking on the £122.7m fine handed down to Thames Water, Lib Dem Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs Spokesperson Tim Farron MP said:

This is shocking but hardly surprising. Thames Water has been failing for years; failing to invest, failing to maintain, and failing to deliver, and all the while it has been dumping sewage in our rivers and waterways. It has saddled customers with its debts and provided them with shoddy service in the meantime.

This should be the final nail in the coffin for Thames Water. It needs to be turned into a public benefit company and Ofwat needs to be scrapped and replaced with a real regulator with teeth.

Prepayment Meters: victims must see compensation before the winter and debts fully written off

Responding to the announcement that thousands of energy customers are set to receive payouts of up to £1,000 each in response to the prepayment meters scandal, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and long-time campaigner on this issue Wera Hobhouse said:

It is high-time that the victims of this scandal are recognised and properly compensated after energy companies rode rough-shod over them in this disgraceful way. Those affected have already waited too long for justice. Pay outs now need to be made in time for the winter months, when we know energy costs are higher.

The Conservative Party neglected these victims and ignored Liberal Democrat attempts to prevent more people suffering forced installations. Today they should feel ashamed of their failures.

And to think that some may still not have all their debt written off is simply not right. These companies need to write off the debts they forced upon the people who bore the brunt of this scandal.

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Mark Valladares

21 May 2025 – the overnight press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 21st May 2025 - 7:30 am
  • Water sector investigations: Doesn’t even begin to address sewage scandal
  • Reaching net zero is ambitious but achievable if SNP ditch familiar excuses

Water sector investigations: Doesn’t even begin to address sewage scandal

Commenting to the Government’s announcement into the number of criminal investigations into environmental breaches by water companies, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson Tim Farron MP said:

81 investigations does not even begin to address the sewage scandal that has plagued British rivers and seas for far too long.

This is a national scandal which got far worse under the Conservatives’ watch. Their record is one of rising sewage levels and water firms stuffing

…

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Mark Valladares

20 May 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 20th May 2025 - 11:20 pm
  • Health Foundation mortality report: must be a “wake-up call” for Government to turnaround these “unacceptable statistics”
  • Winter Fuel Payment: u-turn taking so long it puts “turning an oil tanker around to shame”
  • Jamie Greene taking on additional role as transport spokesperson
  • Lib Dems: UK Govt must ensure households compensated if worse off after RTS shutdown
  • Rennie: Decline in college staff shows SNP neglect of further education
  • McArthur comments on young offender death inquiry
  • Greene responds to Liberty Steel news
  • Cole-Hamilton presses SNP over failure to deliver Erasmus replacement

Health Foundation mortality report: must be a “wake-up call” for Government to turnaround these “unacceptable statistics”

Responding to a report by The Health Foundation, which revealed that by 2023, female mortality rates in the UK were 14% higher when compared with the median of 21 other high-income countries, with male mortality rates 9% higher, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said:

Preventing avoidable deaths and protecting the public’s health should be at the top of any Government’s priorities and to see it neglected in this way, bringing immeasurable suffering to people and their loved ones, should be a wake-up call to us all.

The Conservatives’ catastrophic mismanagement of the NHS and their savage cuts to public health support have brought us to this point but the Labour government has shown nowhere near the ambition required to repair these unacceptable statistics.

It is not good enough for ministers to sit on their hands and watch the NHS and the opportunity to live a healthy life decay in this way. We need to see the Government step in as a matter of urgency, to reverse the cuts to the public health grant and bring an end to these devastating deaths.

Winter Fuel Payment: u-turn taking so long it puts “turning an oil tanker around to shame”

Responding to the Chancellor’s comments that she will listen to concerns over the Government’s decision to cut winter fuel payments, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

This U-turn is taking so long it puts turning an oil tanker around to shame.

The Government should feel embarrassed that it has taken a dire set of a local election results to realise what everyone has known from the start: this policy was doomed to fail and punished some of the most vulnerable.

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Mark Valladares

13 May 2025 – today’s press releases (Scottish edition)

By Mark Valladares | Tue 13th May 2025 - 11:15 pm
  • McArthur makes his final pitch to MSPs to support assisted dying bill
  • SNP failures all over decline in housebuilding and supply
  • Local campaigner Neil Alexander selected to take on Emma Roddick in key Lib Dem target seat
  • Greene demands statement on Glen Rosa news
  • McArthur welcomes victory for Assisted Dying bill at stage one

McArthur makes his final pitch to MSPs to support assisted dying bill

Speaking ahead of the vote on his Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, Liam McArthur MSP said:

This is an issue on which an overwhelming majority of people of Scotland believe a change in the law is required. Public polling is consistent across age range, political affiliation, disability status, geographic area and religious belief: Scots want to see dying people in this country given more choice at the end of life.

Drawing on international evidence, my bill would ensure people who meet the strict eligibility criteria are able to exercise that choice in a way that is robustly safeguarded.

Indeed, my bill would put in place safeguards that don’t currently exist, a situation that leaves many terminally ill people more vulnerable and more likely to take matters into their own hands. This shows that not taking action has serious consequences too, with more deaths that are painful and undignified, despite the best efforts of palliative care, and more traumatised families left behind.

Scotland cannot put off this conversation. And parliament cannot continue to leave this issue in the ‘too difficult’ box. It must, at the very least, allow time for amendments to be considered to see if a bill can be agreed that commands majority support and public confidence.

To my MSP colleagues, I say, if you have not yet made up your mind, my door is always open but most importantly I would urge you to listen to the voices of terminally ill Scots desperate for more choice, control
and dignity.

This bill has been a long time coming but it does now offer the chance to provide that compassionate choice for the small number of terminally ill Scots who need it.

SNP failures all over decline in housebuilding and supply

Scottish Liberal Democrats have today said that SNP decisions have made the housing crisis significantly worse after statistics confirmed dramatic falls in new housing supply and new build completions in the year to March 2024, despite an increase in the number of people seeking housing.

Official figures published today show that:

  • Between 2022/23 and 2023/24, new housing supply decreased by 16.4%, or 3,984 homes.
  • In the same period, new build completions decreased by 16.1%, a drop of 3,835 homes.
  • As of 31st March 2024, 177,264 applications were recorded on 26 local authority or common housing register housing lists. This represents 2,172 more households compared with March 2023.
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Caron Lindsay

History at Holyrood as Assisted Dying Bill passes first stage

By Caron Lindsay | Tue 13th May 2025 - 9:03 pm

Since this session of the Scottish Parliament started in 2021, Lib Dem MSP for Orkney has been working diligently through many consultation stages to bring in a Members’ Bill which would allow terminally ill adults with capacity a choice to have an assisted death. Today, the Bill passed its first parliamentary stage by 70 votes to 56.

This is the first time an assisted dying bill has reached this stage. Previous attempts, led by then Lib Dem MSP Jeremy Purvis (now Lord Purvis of Tweed), and Margo Macdonald had fallen at this hurdle.

After the vote, Liam said:

This is a landmark moment for Scotland. I am pleased that after four years of careful and diligent work, the Scottish Parliament has backed the general principles of my bill.

I understand that for many colleagues this has been a difficult decision but I believe the quality of debate today has shown our Parliament at its finest.

Over the coming months, I will continue to have discussions with my parliamentary colleagues, medical bodies and legal experts to ensure that this bill is robustly safeguarded so that terminally ill adults can have the choice of accessing assisted dying, alongside other palliative care and support at the end of life.

This bill has been a long time coming but, at long last, it can offer that compassionate choice for the small number of terminally ill Scots who need it.

Earlier he had asked the Parliament to support the general principles of the Bill, saying that they would then have the chance to debate specific amendments at the next stage.

There’s a lot of work to do to get this through the next few parliamentary stages.

Liam has been incredibly gracious, wise, inclusive and considerate in the way he has taken this forward. He could not have done a better job and, whatever our views on the Bill, we can be very proud of the way he has led on this.

Here’s his opening speech in full:

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Mark Valladares

8 May 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 9th May 2025 - 12:10 am
  • US and UK trade deal: Parliament must be given a vote
  • Interest rates: Trump tariffs, spiralling bills and jobs tax still ‘hammering’ millions of households
  • UK-US deal: would show “complete disrespect” to public if waved through with no vote
  • Greene responds to direct award of ferries to CalMac
  • Cole-Hamilton marks VE Day
  • McArthur responds to FM’s comments on assisted dying

US and UK trade deal: Parliament must be given a vote

Commenting on reports that a US/UK trade deal will be announced later today, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

Parliament must be given a vote on this US trade deal so it can be properly scrutinised.

A good trade deal with the US could bring huge benefits, but Liberal Democrats are deeply concerned that it may include measures that threaten our NHS, undermine our farmers or give tax cuts to US tech billionaires.

If the government is confident the agreement it has negotiated with Trump is in Britain’s national interest, it should not be afraid to bring it before MPs.

Interest rates: Trump tariffs, spiralling bills and jobs tax still ‘hammering’ millions of households

Responding to the Bank of England cutting interest rates to 4.25%, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

Today’s rate cut is of course welcome news, but it cannot distract from the fact that millions of households are still being hammered by Trump’s tariffs, spiralling bills and a growth-crushing jobs tax that is already eating into pay packets.

To break the cycle of stagnation left by the Conservatives, the government must scrap its jobs tax, fix the broken business rates system and stand up to Trump’s tariffs.

We urge the government to build an economic coalition of the willing with European and Commonwealth allies and set its sights higher by pursuing a bespoke UK-EU customs union. This is the way to reboot our economy, rebuild public services and protect family finances.

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Mark Valladares

7 May 2025 – today’s press releases (part 2)

By Mark Valladares | Wed 7th May 2025 - 11:55 pm
  • Cole-Hamilton: Only the Lib Dems can get Scotland back to its best
  • Scot Lib Dems comment on SNP candidate list
  • Legal Experts express support for Assisted dying bill
  • Scot Lib Dems respond to Swinney independence comments
  • Labour steal Deputy Mayor appointment as part of a “grubby deal” for control of Oldham Council

Cole-Hamilton: Only the Lib Dems can get Scotland back to its best

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today said that only his party can deliver a fairer vision for Scotland and get our communities back on track, as he marked one year to go until the Scottish Parliament election.

Mr Cole-Hamilton is visiting a local business in Edinburgh Northern today with Sanne Dijkstra-Downie, the party’s candidate for the constituency. Edinburgh Northern is a key target seat for the party at next year’s election. At the 2022 local elections, Scottish Liberal Democrats won the area covered by the new seat by 29.3% to the SNP’s 25.0%.

The party is highlighting their priorities for the next election. This includes faster access to local healthcare like GPs and dentists, recruiting more teachers to put Scotland at the forefront of key industries like renewables and precision medicine and speeding up the delivery of important infrastructure, particularly the dualling of the A9 and A96.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said:

The SNP have been in charge for eighteen years and our health service, economy and education are all on their knees. They have let Scotland down.

When people look around at some of the alternatives, they feel frustrated. Labour were elected promising change, but they have clobbered small businesses and care providers with a cruel jobs tax. The Conservatives are lurching to extremes and abandoning the centre ground.

Only the Scottish Liberal Democrats have a vision for getting Scotland back to its best.

We want a Scotland where people get the local healthcare they need, when they need it. We want to give our children a world-class education and a thriving economy where the government looks after your money and works with its neighbours. We want a Scotland where our rural communities are listened to, not talked down to.

If Scots back us, we can defeat the SNP’s Kate Forbes in the highlands, win constituency seats in areas like Edinburgh and East Dunbartonshire and elect more Liberal Democrat candidates on the regional lists in every corner of Scotland who will be strong local champions delivering on the issues that matter most.

Scot Lib Dems comment on SNP candidate list

Commenting on the SNP releasing their candidate list, Christine Jardine MP said:

If only the SNP government were always as good at recycling as they are with their candidate list. We’d have no difficulty hitting our climate change targets.

Stephen Flynn has obviously decided that he’s bored of staring at the back of Ed Davey’s head each week and decided to try his hand in the Scottish Parliament. Given some of the language his supporters have been throwing around, I’m not sure that is a prospect his female colleagues will relish.

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Mark Valladares

7 May 2025 – today’s press releases (part 1)

By Mark Valladares | Wed 7th May 2025 - 11:40 pm

Let’s see if we can restore this feature…

  • Lib Dems tell Government to stop “flip-flopping” and introduce EU Youth Mobility Scheme without delay
  • Lib Dems slam Govt as “asleep at the wheel” on tech as Labour rejects common-sense reforms to Data Bill
  • The ghost of Liz Truss: Lib Dems attack Welsh Conservatives unfunded tax cuts
  • Shoplifting rises by a third across Scotland

Lib Dems tell Government to stop “flip-flopping” and introduce EU Youth Mobility Scheme without delay

Responding to the Government’s comments that they may finally be implementing a Youth Mobility Scheme with the EU, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Europe James MacCleary has said:

Labour now needs to stop flip-flopping and introduce an EU Youth Mobility Scheme without delay. Our young people won’t forgive them if they don’t.

For months now, the Government has totally dismissed the idea of extending a scheme we already have in place with countries like Australia and Japan to our European allies.

Securing a youth mobility scheme with the EU would be a common sense win-win – creating new opportunities for our young people and delivering a much-needed boost to our economy.

Lib Dems slam Govt as “asleep at the wheel” on tech as Labour rejects common-sense reforms to Data Bill

The Lib Dems have hit out at the Government’s ‘sell-out’ approach to tech policy as Labour MPs vote against “common-sense reforms” in the Data Bill this evening.

Labour MPs rejected plans proposed by the Lib Dems to restrict companies’ access to the personal data of under-16s and to protect British creatives from having their work scraped by AI models in the Commons this evening.

The online safety legislation would have protected children between 13 and 16 from having their data harvested by social media giants. Tech companies can use the data of under-16s to drive hyper-targeted advertising and content pushed by addictive algorithms, driving children’s engagement with digital content.

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Mark Valladares

18 March 2025 – the overnight press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 18th March 2025 - 7:30 am
  • Lib Dems force crunch vote on free school meals as 200,000 children miss out
  • Pharmacies: Government has left a “question mark” over support and now consequences “painfully apparent”
  • 51,100 violent incidents directed at NHS staff since 2019
  • New Social Attitudes Survey shows overwhelming support for assisted dying

Lib Dems force crunch vote on free school meals as 200,000 children miss out

New Liberal Democrat analysis estimates that over 230,000 children eligible for free school meals are not receiving the food they’re entitled to, though the true figure could be much higher – as the party prepares to push a key vote in Parliament to bring free school meals to over a million children.

New analysis by the Liberal Democrats has suggested that at least 230,000 children eligible for school meals may not be enrolled to receive the benefit. Combined with the Child Poverty Action Group’s estimate that 900,000 children in poverty are not eligible for free school meals, this figure would bring the number of total vulnerable children in England not receiving free lunches to over 1 million.

On Tuesday, Liberal Democrats will force MPs to vote on auto-enrolling eligible children for free school meals. They will also table a vote on raising the income threshold for free school meal eligibility to £20,000.

The number of eligible children not claiming meals could be far higher than the 230,000 estimated figure. Shockingly, the last Government analysis of the issue took place in 2013. That study suggested 89% of those entitled to free lunches were claiming them, leaving 1 in 10 eligible children missing out. If those numbers hold true today, that would mean over 230,000 young people are going without the meals to which they’re entitled – with the Lib Dems slamming the Government for “flying blind” on this crucial issue.

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Mark Valladares

14 March 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 14th March 2025 - 11:15 pm
  • GDP: Reeves’s plan for growth leaves “economy on life support”
  • Scottish Government refusing to say whether Gupta firms in breach of legal agreements
  • Adam Harley selected for Scot Lib Dem target seat of Strathkelvin & Bearsden
  • McArthur welcomes watershed moment in assisted dying debate as GPs vote to drop opposition
  • Jardine comments on SNP MPs approved for 2026 candidacy
  • Rennie responds to Glen Sannox pulled from service

GDP: Reeves’s plan for growth leaves “economy on life support”

Responding to GDP shrinking by 0.1% in January, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

The Chancellor’s wretched Budget has left our economy on life support so the Spring Statement must deliver a much needed shot in the arm.

Just as the Chancellor’s jobs tax is set to hammer small businesses and plunge high streets into despair, the Government’s refusal to negotiate a bespoke UK-EU Customs Union to unleash economic growth is baffling.

At the Statement, the Chancellor must admit that her Budget has failed to reverse the years of Conservative economic vandalism and put forward a new plan that unleashes the growth potential of small businesses up and down the land.

Scottish Government refusing to say whether Gupta firms in breach of legal agreements

Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Willie Rennie has today piled pressure on the Scottish Government after a minister repeatedly refused to say whether recipients of millions of pounds of taxpayer-backed guarantees who have repeatedly failed to file accounts were in breach of their deals with the government.

It was revealed in October that the CEO of Liberty House Group, Sanjeev Gupta is currently facing prosecution over his alleged failure to file accounts for more than 70 companies. This follows years of media reporting that accounts for both the Dalzell steelworks – acquired by Mr Gupta from Tata Steel in a controversial back-to-back deal facilitated by the Scottish Government – and for the Lochaber aluminium plant – also owned by Mr Gupta and owing £7m in loans to Scottish taxpayers – have gone unfiled.

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Mark Valladares

21 January 2025 – yesterday’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 22nd January 2025 - 10:20 pm
  • Unemployment: Reeves must scrap jobs tax
  • Southport Inquiry: Must get us answers to avoid future failures
  • WASPI: More than 300,000 women in Scotland “betrayed” by Labour decision
  • Welsh unemployment rise: Labour must scrap their Jobs Tax
  • Cole-Hamilton: SNP have left A&E in state of perma-crisis
  • McArthur: Community orders should be credible solutions to prison overcrowding

Unemployment: Reeves must scrap jobs tax

Responding to the latest figures showing unemployment at 4.4%, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

These latest figures are concerning. The government’s misguided jobs tax is already scaring off small businesses from hiring new people and being able to better serve our communities.

The Chancellor talks about growth but her Budget measures are acting as an anchor against just that.

After years of the Conservative Party’s economic vandalism we cannot see this new government repeat their mistakes. That is why Rachel Reeves needs to scrap her jobs tax to get our economy growing again.

Southport Inquiry: Must get us answers to avoid future failures

Commenting after Starmer’s press conference following the government’s announcement of an inquiry into the Southport murders, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

The Liberal Democrats welcome this inquiry, which must not shy away from asking tough questions about what went wrong.

This was an utterly horrific tragedy. My thoughts go out to the bereaved families, who lost three young daughters to such brutal violence. We need to ensure that such a senseless attack cannot happen again.

We must learn from these events, and the inquiry must urgently get us the answers we need to avoid future failures.

WASPI: More than 300,000 women in Scotland “betrayed” by Labour decision

Speaking ahead of a Scottish Parliament debate on compensation for WASPI women, Beatrice Wishart MSP has said her party will “fight for WASPI women” as data from the House of Commons library estimated that an estimated 331,780 women in Scotland could be affected.

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Mark Valladares

17 January 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 17th January 2025 - 11:10 pm
  • Triple lock: Lib Dems launching new attack ad following Badenoch’s plans to cut the state pension
  • Badenoch’s triple lock comments: Lib Dems launch new poster van attack ad outside CCHQ
  • ONS health data: “sickening” research damning for government’s lack of action
  • McArthur responds to Polmont FAI determination
  • Lib Dems call on new Welsh Conservative Leader to disown Badenoch’s plans to cut state pension

Triple lock: Lib Dems launching new attack ad following Badenoch’s plans to cut the state pension

The Liberal Democrats will be launching a new attack ad following Kemi Badenoch’s comments yesterday that she will consider means testing the triple lock.

The ad will highlight Kemi Badenoch’s three major announcements so far, cutting maternity pay which she described as ‘excessive’, slashing the state pension and putting UK interests at risk by sucking up to Elon Musk and Donald Trump.

A Liberal Democrat source said:

First Kemi Badenoch came for the mothers and now she has set her sights on the grandmothers.

Millions of pensioners felt betrayed by Labour’s cut to the Winter Fuel Payment, now it’s clear their pensions wouldn’t be safe with the Conservatives.

We will be reminding pensioners at every opportunity that Kemi Badenoch wants to take an axe to the triple lock.

Badenoch’s triple lock comments: Lib Dems launch new poster van attack ad outside CCHQ

The Liberal Democrats have today launched a new attack ad with a poster van outside CCHQ after Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch said that she would look at means testing the triple lock.

The Liberal Democrats have said Badenoch’s comments will “send a shiver down the spine of pensioners” and that the Conservatives “want to come after their state pension”.

The poster pictures Kemi Badenoch and an elderly woman with the warning: “don’t let the Conservatives wreck your pension”.

Liberal Democrat Care and Carers spokesperson Alison Bennett MP, who launched the poster van outside CCHQ today, said:

Kemi Badenoch’s comments will have sent a shiver down the spine of millions of pensioners across the country.

Older people have already seen Winter Fuel Payments ripped away by the Labour government and now the Conservatives want to come after their state pension.

The Liberal Democrats are proud we introduced the triple lock to protect people’s pensions. We will fight to protect pensioners from Conservative attempts to scrap it every step of the way.

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Mark Valladares

16 January 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 16th January 2025 - 11:30 pm
  • GDP Figures: Government must see sense and scrap jobs tax
  • Liberal Democrats table motion forcing Government to release analysis of potential Trump trade war
  • Badenoch speech: half-hearted apology does not absolve her from toxic legacy
  • Triple lock: “bungling Badenoch’s” first policy is to slash the state pension
  • Carmichael welcomes RFA vertical launch licence
  • McArthur calls for clarity over BP job losses

GDP Figures: Government must see sense and scrap jobs tax

Responding to GDP growing by 0.1% in November, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

The Chancellor has put the handbrake on the economy with her misguided jobs tax and the consequence is this pitiful rate of growth.

Every month this persists means less money in struggling families pockets and public services without the funding they need.

After years of the Conservatives’ economic vandalism, the public was crying out for change but this new government is falling well short of fixing this mess.

Rachel Reeves needs to see sense and scrap her foolish jobs tax and pursue a real strategy for growth like fixing our broken trade relationship with our European partners and replacing the broken business rates system.

Liberal Democrats table motion forcing Government to release analysis of potential Trump trade war

The Liberal Democrats are tabling a ‘Humble Address’ motion which would force the Government to release its analysis of the potential impact of Trump tariffs on the UK economy.

It follows reports that the Government has conducted internal assessments of how a potential trade war with the US may hit the UK economy, but is refusing to publish them.

The Liberal Democrat motion will call urgently for the publication of all impact assessments conducted by the Government regarding the impact of Trump’s tariffs ahead of his inauguration on 20 January.

Humble Address motions have been successfully used in the past, including in 2017 when the Government was forced to publish an impact assessment of Brexit on the economy.

The new US administration’s purported plans may involve tariffs of up to 20 percent on UK exports, which could hit the UK economy by £22bn according to the research conducted at the University of Sussex.

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Mark Valladares

14 January 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Tue 14th January 2025 - 11:45 pm
  • Tulip Siddiq resignation: People expected better from this government
  • Worst 8 hour A&E wait times in 2 years
  • More than 2,000 people stuck in hospital
  • Operations activity stagnating below pre-pandemic levels
  • McArthur comments on assisted dying evidence session
  • Carmichael welcomes protection of coastguard helicopter readiness

Tulip Siddiq resignation: People expected better from this government

Following Tulip Siddiq’s resignation as Treasury Minister, Sarah Olney MP, Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokesperson, said:

It’s right Tulip Siddiq resigned, you can’t have an anti-corruption minister mired in a corruption scandal.

After years of Conservative sleaze and scandal, people rightly expected better from this government.

Worst 8 hour A&E wait times in 2 years

Responding to new figures showing only 58.7% of people attending A&E were seen within the 4 hour target in the week ending 5th January, while 18.3% of people waited over 8 hours (the worst since January 2023) and 9.1% waited over 12 hours, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

These figures show almost 1 in 5 waited more than 8 hours at A&E, the worst for nearly 2 years. It is now clear that the SNP’s NHS Recovery Plan has completely failed.

These waits are intolerable for staff and patients alike. The Scottish Government needs to start taking urgent action to address these conditions.

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 UK-wide minimum wage for care workers that is £2 higher.

More than 2,000 people stuck in hospital

Responding to new Public Health Scotland figures showing 2,020 people were stuck in hospital at the November census due to their discharge being delayed, amongst the worst on record, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

SNP mismanagement has led to eye-watering numbers of people stuck in hospital unnecessarily because they can’t get the care they need at home or in the community.

This creates a backlog right across our NHS, contributing to agonising waits in A&E and ambulances stacking up outside the front door. It goes to show that you can’t save our NHS unless you fix the care crisis.

The Health Secretary needs to re-write the failed NHS Recovery Plan. It’s also essential to drop the doomed takeover of social care that has already seen millions wasted on bureaucracy instead of being spent on services and staff to enable people to leave hospital on time.

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Mark Valladares

13 January 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 13th January 2025 - 10:30 pm
  • Market turmoil: Reeves should hold emergency summit with banks to reassure mortgage holders
  • Scottish Government forced to climb down on ministerial power grab of legal profession

Market turmoil: Reeves should hold emergency summit with banks to reassure mortgage holders

Following the cost of government borrowing continuing to rise, exceeding the near 30-year high it hit last week, the Liberal Democrats have called on the Chancellor to hold an emergency summit with the banks to reassure mortgage holders that they won’t see a major spike in their mortgage costs.

It comes as experts warn that mortgage rates may rise in the coming weeks as lenders …

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Mark Valladares

9 January 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 9th January 2025 - 11:20 pm
  • Food prices set to rise: news will be hammer blow for millions already choosing between heating and eating
  • NHS stats: winter “one of the most brutal on record” as Lib Dems call on Streeting to bring forward emergency plan to protect patients
  • ‘Bed blocking’ has already cost NHS £165 million this winter as Davey calls on govt to finish social care review this year
  • Market turmoil: Chancellor should cancel China trip for emergency growth statement
  • Oxford Farming Conference: Reed’s “regret” not good enough – Starmer must reverse family farm tax
  • More than 440,000 police officer and staff days lost to mental health since 2019

Food prices set to rise: news will be hammer blow for millions already choosing between heating and eating

Responding to the British Retail Consortium saying that food prices will rise by 4.2% in the latter half of this year as “retailers battle the £7 billion of increased costs in 2025 from the Budget”, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

This news will come as a hammer blow to families across the country. Millions of people are already having to choose between heating and eating and the prospect of even more pressure on stretched budgets will be incredibly worrying.

The new government is faced with the enormous challenge of cleaning up the Conservative Party’s economic vandalism, but their approach so far risks repeating more mistakes.

It’s now clear as day that the Chancellor’s misguided national insurance hike is only going to hammer household budgets further by forcing up prices. Ministers must recognise their error and scrap this tax hike immediately.

NHS stats: winter “one of the most brutal on record” as Lib Dems call on Streeting to bring forward emergency plan to protect patients

Responding to NHS England saying that this is the busiest year on record for emergency services, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said:

This winter threatens to be one of the most brutal on record. Patients are suffering through deadly delays and staff are already at breaking point.

There can be no overstating just dangerous this situation is after years of the previous Conservative government’s shameful neglect of our NHS.

It is of paramount importance that the new government grips this crisis urgently. That must start with the Health Secretary producing an emergency plan in the coming days to protect patients from this ongoing disaster.

‘Bed blocking’ has already cost NHS £165 million this winter as Davey calls on govt to finish social care review this year

  • This winter has already seen 417,220 bed days taken up by patients that were well enough to be discharged – costing the NHS £165 million or £4.8 million a day
  • 12,271 of England’s 103,277 hospital beds have been taken up by people who are fit to be discharged everyday this winter – the equivalent of just under one in eight
  • Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey has called on the government to complete its social care review by the end of the year to take pressure off hospitals

This winter has already seen 417,220 bed days taken up by patients that were fit enough to be discharged, the equivalent of 1 in 8, costing the NHS £165 million in just over a month research by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

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Mark Valladares

4-5 January 2025 – the weekend’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 6th January 2025 - 9:45 am
  • Starmer NHS speech: Government risks “putting hip replacements over heart attacks” as 12-hour A&E waits soar
  • Just 38 upskirting cases a year being passed to Crown Office
  • 4 in 10 Scots go without recent dentist check-up

Starmer NHS speech: Government risks “putting hip replacements over heart attacks” as 12-hour A&E waits soar

  • Lib Dems warn that Government risks “putting hip replacements over heart attacks” by neglecting the crisis in emergency care and ‘bed blocking’ caused by the social care crisis.
  • Figures reveal almost 200,000 12-hour “trolley waits” in A&E since Labour took office last July.
  • Average of 1,330 patients a day are facing waits of 12 hours or more before being admitted to hospital from A&E.
  • Lib Dems have urged the Government to complete social care review by end of year rather than 2028.

The Liberal Democrats have warned that the Government’s plan for NHS waiting lists due to be announced today risks “putting hip replacements over heart attacks” unless it also tackles the crises in both emergency care and social care that are backing up A&E.

It comes as analysis by the party of NHS estimates has revealed there have been almost 200,000 12-hour “trolley waits” in A&E since the start of July, when the Labour government took office. That means that an average of 1,330 people a day had to wait more than 12 hours to be admitted to hospital from A&E between July and November.

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has predicted that there will be at least 14,000 unnecessary deaths due to delays in A&E this winter.

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Mark Valladares

29 November 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 29th November 2024 - 10:30 pm
  • Bank of England: Ministers need to set out steps to Trump-proof economy
  • McArthur urges MPs to back assisted dying bill
  • McArthur expresses delight as UK Parliament backs Assisted Dying bill

Bank of England: Ministers need to set out steps to Trump-proof economy

Responding to the Bank of England’s fiscal stability report which warned of the potential impact of the impending Donald Trump Presidency on the economy, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

After years of Conservative economic vandalism our economy has seen sluggish growth and people have been hammered by spiralling mortgage rates.

The incoming Trump administration could cause yet more damage and the new government needs to urgently act to prepare our economy to prevent this.

Ministers need to set out the steps they are taking to Trump-proof our economy and ensure that people will not be hit with another round of financial hardship.

McArthur urges MPs to back assisted dying bill

Speaking ahead of the debate and vote on Kim Leadbeater’s assisted dying bill in the UK Parliament, Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur has urged MPs to back the bill in the first debate and vote on end-of-life choices in the UK Parliament since 2015.

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Mark Valladares

11 November 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 11th November 2024 - 11:10 pm
  • Almost 1 in 6 calls in NHS 24 go unanswered
  • Martin stretching climate credibility with watering down comments
  • Planning applications fall across almost every category

Almost 1 in 6 calls in NHS 24 go unanswered

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today said that every corner of our NHS is suffering under SNP mismanagement as he revealed that almost 1 in 6 calls to NHS 24 went unanswered last year.

A Scottish Liberal Democrat freedom of information request revealed that in 2023/24, 16.5% of calls to the NHS 24-111 service went unanswered.

The freedom of information request also shows that in 2023/24, the longest wait for a call to be answered was more than 3 hours in January 2024. The average wait for a call to be answered was almost 28 minutes in March 2024.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said:

As these figures show, too many calls are going unanswered and people are facing very long waits before they get through to someone who can help.

Under the SNP’s mismanagement, this is another part of our NHS that is crying out for help. From excruciating waits at A&E to record numbers of people stuck in hospital, patients are suffering and staff are beyond breaking point.

Scottish Liberal Democrats want a complete overhaul of the SNP’s failed NHS recovery plan. We need a new plan that will tackle burnout among staff and address core problems, such as the crises in mental health and social care. That’s how we can ease pressures across the rest of the health service and get everyone the care they desperately deserve.

Martin stretching climate credibility with watering down comments

Responding to Scotland’s Net Zero Secretary, Gillian Martin, telling the BBC that the SNP government haven’t been ‘watering down’ their climate targets, despite choosing to scrap key emissions goals just weeks ago, Scottish Liberal Democrat climate crisis spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said:

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Mark Valladares

31 October 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 31st October 2024 - 11:30 pm
  • Ed Davey: Exempt social care from National Insurance tax hike
  • Budget: online gambling tax “a missed opportunity” for fairer NHS and care funding
  • Govt makes new commitment to create a ‘national cancer plan’ at Lib Dem led debate
  • Scot Lib Dems respond to government ditching pilot of juryless trials

Ed Davey: Exempt social care from National Insurance tax hike

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has called on the government to exempt social care from the employer’s National Insurance tax rise.

The Chancellor has provided extra funding for the NHS and other public sector organisations to cover the cost of the tax rise. However, the vast majority of care providers are private and so won’t benefit from this help.

98% of care providers – 18,000 organisations – are small employers. The Liberal Democrats have said care providers including care homes and those providing care in people’s homes should be exempt from the National Insurance tax hike.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

Hammering small businesses with a tax hike is the wrong choice. It will hit people’s wages and jobs, but it also risks worsening the NHS crisis by hiking costs for care providers and pushing some to the brink.

It just shows that yet again the government seems to have forgotten about care. At the very least, the Chancellor should be exempting social care from this costly jobs tax.

Budget: online gambling tax “a missed opportunity” for fairer NHS and care funding

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey is calling on the Government to double the tax on online gambling firms as a “much fairer” way to raise money for the NHS and social care.

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Mark Valladares

21 October 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Mon 21st October 2024 - 11:45 pm
  • NHS national conversation: Govt must show ambition to fix Conservatives mess or “risks becoming a talking shop”
  • Social Care: Govt kicking the can down the road yet again
  • McArthur responds to First Minister “wrestling” with assisted dying

NHS national conversation: Govt must show ambition to fix Conservatives mess or “risks becoming a talking shop”

Responding to the government’s announcement that it will begin a ‘national conversation’ about the future of the NHS, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

The government must show the ambition needed to fix the awful damage done by the Conservatives to the NHS and care, or this exercise risks becoming a talking shop.

We know that primary care services across the country are at the brink of collapse due to the Conservative Party’s disgraceful neglect, with patients paying the price.

Whether it is sky-high GP waiting lists, endless ambulance response times, or a failure to diagnose cancer in time, none of these issues can be fixed without fixing the crisis in social care.

That is why the Liberal Democrats will make sure that social care is part of the debate and push for a cross party solution to this crisis.

Social Care: Govt kicking the can down the road yet again

Responding to Care Minister Stephen Kinnock’s comments that the government’s plan to reform social care will be published “in the next 12 months”, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said:

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Mark Valladares

17 October 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 17th October 2024 - 10:30 pm
  • NHS repair costs rises to £13.8bn as Lib Dems call for comprehensive plan to end the backlog
  • McArthur responds to dental deserts in Orkney and elsewhere

NHS repair costs rises to £13.8bn as Lib Dems call for comprehensive plan to end the backlog

Responding to the latest NHS figures showing that the cost of repairs to the NHS estate now stands at £13.8bn, up from £11.6bn last year Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Health and Social Care, Helen Morgan MP said:

This comes as no surprise to anyone that works in the NHS. Crumbling hospital buildings, flooded wards, and rat infested basements are just the

…

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Mark Valladares

16 October 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 16th October 2024 - 11:30 pm
  • Inflation: Welcome fall but winter will still be difficult for the most vulnerable
  • McArthur welcomes Leadbetter bill on assisted dying
  • Wendy Chamberlain MP lodges Bill to remove red tape on charity lottery fundraising
  • Closure of Rural Housing Scotland must mean soul-searching for SNP ministers
  • McArthur responds to public letter by chief medical officers

Inflation: Welcome fall but winter will still be difficult for the most vulnerable

Responding to the latest inflation figures, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

The fall in inflation is welcome but we can’t fool ourselves that this winter won’t be difficult for the most vulnerable.

The price of a weekly shop is still sky high, energy prices have risen once again and people are still feeling the effects of the spike in mortgage rates.

The government must urgently look at ways to support the most vulnerable this winter and that should start by reversing their decision to cut Winter Fuel Payments for millions of worried pensioners.

McArthur welcomes Leadbetter bill on assisted dying

Speaking ahead of the introduction of assisted dying legislation in the UK Parliament, Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur has welcomed the move and said that it represents more evidence of the momentum that is building behind a change to the law.

Kim Leadbeater, Labour MP for Spen Valley, will formally introduce her bill on choice at the end of life at its First Reading in the House of Commons on Wednesday 16th October 2024.

The Bill will have its Second Reading debate on Friday 29 November – the first opportunity MPs will have to debate and vote on an assisted dying bill since 2015.

Mr McArthur said:

Our current laws on assisted dying are failing too many terminally ill Brits, often leaving them facing an undignified and sometimes painful death despite the very best efforts of palliative care. It is clear that a new compassionate and safe law is required.

The introduction of legislation in the UK Parliament is evidence of the growing momentum that is building behind changing the law.

In recent weeks I have spoken with Kim about both the need for and the evidence backing a change to the existing law that causes anguish for so many people and I am confident that she will be an eloquent and determined champion for dying people seeking choice at the end of life.

As MPs debate this important issue, I hope they will listen to the overwhelming majority who want to see the law changed. Both Kim and I will be making the case for greater choice and compassion as parliamentarians scrutinise our bills going forward.

Wendy Chamberlain MP lodges Bill to remove red tape on charity lottery fundraising

Wendy Chamberlain, MP for Fife North East, has today lodged a Private Members Bill in the House of Commons seeking to remove the outdated caps on charity lottery fundraising.

At present each charity lottery is capped at selling £50 million worth of tickets each year, which acts as a break on its ability to maximise funds for good causes. These sales caps restrict the amount and flexibility of charitable funds such lotteries generate for good causes across the country. Ms Chamberlain’s Bill would remove these limits, which apply to no other form of charity fundraising or to any other gambling product.

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Mark Valladares

14 October 2024 – today’s press release

By Mark Valladares | Mon 14th October 2024 - 11:56 pm

McArthur hits out at above inflation ferry fare rise

Responding to the news that ferry fares across Scotland will increase by 10% from next year, Orkney MSP Liam McArthur said:

This fare hike will come as a serious blow to households and businesses in Orkney who rely on these lifeline services and who continue to struggle with cost of living pressures.

When the Scottish Government ‘froze’ fares last year, Ministers congratulated themselves for having protected island communities. At no time did they suggest that their generosity would be clawed back in future years through an inflation-busting increase.

People in Orkney will rightly be suspicious

…

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Mark Valladares

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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Mark Valladares

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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