Tag Archives: road safety

1 September 2025 – yesterday’s press releases

  • Lib Dems write to Badenoch telling her to “come clean” on allegations of made-up academic record
  • Kemi Badenoch visit is a timely reminder for Scottish Conservatives to jump ship
  • Landslides continue to block A83 in Argyll because of years of SNP dithering
  • Greene: No end to ferry nightmare amid fresh delay

Lib Dems write to Badenoch telling her to “come clean” on allegations of made-up academic record

The Liberal Democrats have written to Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, calling on her to come clean over doubts reported in the Guardian over her claim that she was offered a place at the US University Stanford when she was just 16.

Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Munira Wilson has now written to Badenoch calling on her to “come clean” and give the full story behind these allegations. In her letter, Munira Wilson noted that when commenting on allegations surrounding the Chancellor’s CV Badenoch said that “restoring trust in politics is the great test of our era” and asked that Rachel Reeves “comes clean”.

She said that if Badenoch refused to do so she would “devalue the work” of all those who received their A-levels and GCSEs in the past few weeks.

Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson, Munira Wilson MP said:

After the endless comments she made over Rachel Reeves’ CV, if these allegations prove to be true she will have set a new world record for hypocrisy.

If Kemi Badenoch cares about restoring trust she should start by explaining her own academic record.

Failing to come clean over these allegations would send a message to the thousands of pupils who just received their exam results that their hard work does not matter and that you can just bluff your way to the top.

Kemi Badenoch visit is a timely reminder for Scottish Conservatives to jump ship

Responding to Kemi Badenoch’s visit to Scotland, Liberal Democrat MSP Jamie Greene, who defected from the Conservatives earlier this year, said:

I know that many Conservatives are completely sickened by how desperately low their party has fallen with their climate change denial, stoking up community grievances and ripping up any decency they had left.

Kemi Badenoch’s visit might just be a timely reminder to them that jumping ship, as I did, is the only way out of the sorry mess the Tories have become in Scotland.

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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

6 June 2024 – today’s press releases

  • Lib Dems pledge to transform parental leave with £2.4 billion investment including doubling of statutory maternity pay
  • Hester: How low can the Conservatives go?
  • Conservative announcement “not worth the paper it’s written on”
  • Welsh Lib Dems commemorate 80th anniversary of D-Day
  • Temporary NHS staff spend reaches record high under SNP
  • Cole-Hamilton: SNP Government must accept failures on M9 crash

Lib Dems pledge to transform parental leave with £2.4 billion investment including doubling of statutory maternity pay

  • The Liberal Democrat manifesto will include a plan to transform parental leave, including doubling Statutory Maternity Pay to £350 a month
  • Proposals also include increasing paternity pay and creating an extra use-it-or-lose-it “dad month”, to encourage more fathers to take parental leave
  • Ed Davey says Lib Dem proposals would give parents “the choice and flexibility they need”

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has announced his party’s manifesto will include an ambitious plan to transform parental leave, including doubling Statutory Maternity Pay to £350 a week and introducing a use-it-or-lose-it “dad month” of paid leave for new fathers.

The party’s bold plans for reform also include making paid parental leave day-one-rights at work, rather than the current 26 week period which means those in new jobs don’t qualify, and extending them to self-employed parents.

As well as raising Statutory Maternity Pay, the Liberal Democrats would increase paternity pay to 90% of earnings and create a new use-it-or-lose-it “dad month,” encouraging more fathers to take parental leave. The party argues this would increase choice for families and help more new fathers take time off work to spend time with their child in those crucial first weeks and months, in turn helping Mums to stay in their chosen careers.

Currently, low rates of statutory maternity and paternity pay are not high enough to give parents a real choice, while the UK’s two weeks of statutory paternity leave lags far behind most advanced economies. Around a quarter of fathers are not eligible for paternity pay, either because they are self-employed or because they have not been with their employer continuously for six months.

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29 May 2024 – today’s press releases

  • Sewage fine proposals: Letting water companies off the hook would be “utter disgrace”
  • Almost 340,000 children on mental health waiting lists as postcode lottery leaves some waiting over a year
  • Number starting apprenticeships in England has fallen by a third
  • Welsh Liberal Democrats to vote against Welsh First Minister Vaughan Gething in no-confidence vote
  • Highland MP comments on road death figures
  • Jardine responds to homeless being “sent out” of Edinburgh ahead of Taylor Swift concert

Sewage fine proposals: Letting water companies off the hook would be “utter disgrace”

Responding to proposals that could see financially stressed water companies receive fewer or no penalties for sewage pollution, Liberal Democrat Environment spokesperson Tim Farron MP said:

Any attempt to let these polluting giants off the hook would be an utter disgrace.

This plan is proof Ofwat should be scrapped. This Conservative government has allowed this toothless regulator to stagger on too long.

It is time someone finally stood up to these water firms.

Almost 340,000 children on mental health waiting lists as postcode lottery leaves some waiting over a year

  • Liberal Democrats call for a mental health professional in every primary and secondary school
  • Ed Davey warns the Conservative party has “abandoned parents and children” as he sets out urgent plan to fix the crisis in young people’s mental health
  • 336,886 children on mental health waiting lists, some waiting an average of 15 months to be seen in stark postcode lottery

Almost 340,000 children and young people are on mental health waiting lists with some areas seeing average waits of 15 months, House of Commons Library research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

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3 October 2023 – today’s press releases

  • Twenty’s plenty: 20 Conservative politicians and Councils who backed 20 mph zones
  • Ed Davey slams Sunak over Conservative conference chaos on visit to Mid Bedfordshire

Twenty’s plenty: 20 Conservative politicians and Councils who backed 20 mph zones

The Liberal Democrats have accused Rishi Sunak of “rank hypocrisy” and “playing politics with road safety” for criticising 20 mph zones, despite Conservative politicians across the country backing them.

It comes as analysis by the party reveals a list of 20 Conservative MPs and Councils, including three Cabinet Ministers, that have backed 20 mph speed limits.

Among those who have previously backed 20 mph zones is Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, who pledged his support to a 20’s Plenty campaign saying that “dropping your speed by merely 10 mph can make all the difference in preventing potentially fatal accidents.”

Other Cabinet Ministers who have expressed support for 20 mph speed limits include the Welsh Secretary David Davies and Justice Secretary Alex Chalk.

Health Minister, Helen Whately, has backed the expansion of 20 mph speed limits in her constituency saying “there are benefits for everyone from a lower speed limit – safer roads, cleaner air, and better quality of life.”

And even in Rishi Sunak’s own backyard, Conservative run North Yorkshire Council has proposed the ‘the most significant 20 mph zone the council has ever introduced’ as they believe they are ‘safer’.

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12 September 2023 – today’s press releases

  • Wage Figures: Sunak must commit to triple lock now
  • NHS staff cannot be left to suffer in silence
  • Government may have broken law over sewage: “Environmental vandalism on an industrial scale”
  • Liberal Democrats welcome TfL’s new road safety charter

Wage Figures: Sunak must commit to triple lock now

Responding to today’s wage figures which would be used to uprate pensions, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Sarah Olney MP said:

Rishi Sunak must commit now to the triple lock to ensure the state pension rises in line with the cost of living.

His failure to commit to the triple lock earlier this week will have left a cloud of uncertainty hanging over struggling pensioners. We also need a guarantee that welfare payments won’t be slashed in real terms.

Families and pensioners should not be made to pay the price for years of economic mismanagement under the Conservatives.

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Roads ‘plagued’ with potholes taking over 18 months to fix

  • Single pothole in Stoke took 567 days to fix after being reported
  • Government has slashed road maintenance funding by £500 million
  • Lib Dems call for end to “pothole postcode lottery” and restoring of road budgets for local authorities

Individual potholes are taking over eighteen months to be repaired in some areas, new figures have revealed.

Data obtained by the Liberal Democrats through Freedom of Information requests has revealed that some councils in England are taking over a month on average to fix potholes once they have been reported, with some individual potholes left for 567 days before being repaired.

The Liberal Democrats have criticised …

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What European liberals have achieved over the past five years – consumer protection

Ensuring that consumers are protected is at the heart of the Single Market, and ALDE have played a central role in building upon it during the last Parliament.

Roaming Charges consigned to the history books

ALDE played a key role in ending wholesale roaming charges in the European Union. Legislation adopted in 2015 provided for the abolition of retail roaming charges on voice calls, data and SMS as of 15 June 2017, a victory for mobility and consumer rights.

Safer food for EU consumers

ALDE has supported efforts to harmonise the EU’s legal framework for official hygiene controls. We also strongly supported new laws, …

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Traffic chaos caused by accidents – we need to listen to local radio and look to our own driving

On Wednesday there was traffic chaos in Berkshire. A lorry driver sadly lost his life after his vehicle over-turned, closing six lanes over two carriageways on the M4 for nearly twenty hours.

Fortunately, I turned onto BBC Radio Berkshire as I left home and, on hearing about the problem, was able to turn around and work from home for the day.

Posted in Op-eds | 2 Comments

Greg Mulholland wins award from road safety charity

Greg MulhollandLeeds North West MP Greg Mulholland has won the charity Brake’s Parliamentarian of the Year Award for his campaign for justice for victims of criminal driving.

From the Yorkshire Post:

Mr Mulholland said: “I am very honoured to have been named Brake’s Parliamentarian of the Year. For many years now, I have worked with Brake and its fantastic staff, who have been very supportive of my campaign to get better justice for victims and families of criminal driving.

“It has also been a real pleasure to have worked with families and campaigners determined to get that justice. This award represents the work that we have all done together, and no doubt we will continue campaigning until we get the changes that we need to see. Until we get there, I look forward to continuing to work with Brake, so a huge thank you for this award.”

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Caroline Pidgeon writes: Making our roads safer for everyone

Yesterday was World Day of Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims.

After the events of recent weeks such a day has incredible significance this year. Just at the weekend a cyclist was killed in Bath in a hit and run accident. And now just minutes ago I have heard that yet another cyclist has died in a crash with a lorry in London.

In less than two weeks the capital has seen six cyclists killed – with today’s latest fatality the number of cyclists already killed matches the total figure for 2012. I …

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Opinion: SNP’s ill thought out proposals discriminate against young people

Drew's first driving lesson - Some rights reserved by akarmyMark McDonald, SNP MSP for North East Scotland, has recently proposed unjust new restrictions on young drivers. His proposals would mean that 17-25 year olds, regardless of driving experience, would be banned from driving between 11pm and 4am every day, as well as preventing them from carrying passengers in their vehicles.

This is based on a discriminatory assumption that young people are generally bad drivers. Even although there is a higher risk as

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged and | 17 Comments
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