Tag Archives: teacher pay

7 October 2025 – today’s press releases

  • Lib Dems warn of ‘Trumpian purge’ as Jenrick targets 35 Judges
  • Lib Dems demand Labour publish any legal advice sought on alleged “blocking” of Chinese spy trial
  • Greene brings childcare debate to parliament
  • August 2025 the worst August on record at A&E
  • Operations activity stagnating below pre-pandemic levels
  • Cole-Hamilton: SNP have ripped up promises on delayed discharges
  • Rennie: SNP have barely moved an inch with cladding work
  • Rennie responds to survey showing teachers taking second jobs

Lib Dems warn of ‘Trumpian purge’ as Jenrick targets 35 Judges

Responding to reports that if the Conservatives were elected, Robert Jenrick would seek to dismiss 35 judges due to perceived activism, Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson Jess Brown-Fuller said:

Robert Jenrick’s comments on removing independently appointed judges are deeply troubling and show just how far some Conservatives are willing to go to undermine our judiciary. The Conservative Party claims to believe in the rule of law, but now seems to be actively undermining it.

The idea of making it easier to sack judges for perceived ‘activism’ is straight out of the Trump playbook. The fact Jenrick has named 35 judges for this Trumpian purge is more than alarming, it’s a chilling signal of the threat to the rule of law under any potential Conservative government.

Our judges must be free to interpret and apply the law without fear of political retribution. Undermining that principle strikes at the very foundation of British democracy, a principle the Liberal Democrats will fiercely defend.

Lib Dems demand Labour publish any legal advice sought on alleged “blocking” of Chinese spy trial

The Liberal Democrats are calling for Labour to publish any legal advice the Government sought on the planned trial of two men accused of spying for China, erstwhile parliamentary staffer Chris Cash and academic Christopher Berry.

The party is also calling on the Intelligence and Security Committee to launch an investigation into the abandoned prosecution. The committee oversees the operations of the UK intelligence community – including MI5, MI6 and GCHQ – and has access to classified evidence under the Official Secrets Act.

Calum Miller MP, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, said:

These latest revelations show that the Government would prefer to block an investigation into espionage at the heart of Westminster, rather than rock the boat with Beijing. Its campaign of cosying up to President Xi is now actively threatening our national security.

The Intelligence and Security Committee should launch an urgent review into this case. It’s also critical that the Government publishes any legal advice it sought and received.

Threats to our democracy cannot be swept under the rug. It’s time that this Government grew a backbone in its dealings with China. It was wrong not to recognise China’s threat and place it on the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme – and should reverse that decision today.

Greene brings childcare debate to parliament

Speaking ahead of his members’ business debate on childcare, Scottish Liberal Democrat West Scotland MSP Jamie Greene said that many parents feel “unfairly treated” because of the gaps in funded places under the SNP.

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22 May 2025 – today’s press releases

  • Government borrowing figures: “warning lights must be flashing in the Treasury” – Lib Dems
  • Government back Lib Dem campaigns protecting victims of domestic abuse and sexual offence
  • Teachers’ pay award: Government “building castles in the sky” if they think schools can fund rise
  • First Minister misses two-year NHS waiting times target

Government borrowing figures: “warning lights must be flashing in the Treasury” – Lib Dems

Responding to the latest figures showing that Government borrowing in April was at its fourth-highest since records began, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Daisy Cooper said:

The warning lights must be flashing in the Treasury this morning.

Rachel Reeves has failed to get a grip on the mess left by the Conservatives, making a series of blunders whilst avoiding taking the bold action that would set us on the right path.

It is time for the Labour government to change course. The first steps must be scrapping the damaging jobs tax, reforming business rates and being much more ambitious in negotiations with the EU, pushing for a customs union that would create the growth we desperately need to rebuild public services and protect family finances. Short-sighted red lines will only doom Rachel to failure.

Government back Lib Dem campaigns protecting victims of domestic abuse and sexual offence

Today, the Government has agreed to act on two Lib Dem campaign priorities as part of their response to the Gauke Review.

In response to Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson Josh Babarinde’s campaign to formally recognise domestic abuse crimes in the law, the Government has announced it will create a specific, new categorisation that will enable judges to officially register offences as crimes of domestic abuse.

This would enable the Government to finally be able to exclude domestic abusers from its SDS40 early release scheme – which has so far allowed many domestic abusers to leave prison early in the absence of such a categorisation – putting victims at risk.

It will also mean the Government will now be able to track the number and reoffending rate of domestic abusers offenders. Josh Babarinde uncovered via a Written Parliamentary Question that currently, in the absence of a categorisation, the Government doesn’t know how many domestic abusers are in prison.

Sarah Olney’s longstanding campaign to enable victims of rape and sexual offences to request a transcript of sentencing remarks free of charge has also been included in the Government’s review.

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31 January 2023 – today’s press releases

  • Suspend Raab, say Lib Dems
  • IMF forecast “damning verdict on Conservative Government”
  • Conservative Record on Businesses ‘in tatters’ as dam bursts on insolvency rates
  • Jane Dodds to Vote to Protect Welsh Farmers
  • Welsh Liberal Democrats Call for Negotiated Solution on Teachers’ Strikes

Suspend Raab, say Lib Dems

The Liberal Democrats have called on Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab to be suspended, following reports which have emerged alleging that at least 24 civil servants have complained about his conduct.

In November 2022, Rishi Sunak opened a formal investigation into Dominic Raab after formal complaints were made by officials about his conduct in the workplace. Now, reports have alleged that the number of complainants is potentially as many as 30 individuals.

Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain has written to the Prime Minister, calling for Raab to be suspended for the duration of the investigation into his conduct, given the reported scale of complaints against him.

Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain commented:

The reported scale of the allegations against Dominic Raab raises real questions for Rishi Sunak. Why hasn’t the Prime Minister suspended Raab yet, for the duration of this inquiry?

Rishi Sunak promised to govern with integrity but I’m afraid his track record so far is the opposite. Scandal after scandal continues to emerge about various members of the Cabinet, yet Sunak is incapable of doing the right thing and taking decisive action.

From Zahawi to Raab, from Braverman to Williamson, the British public are fed up with Conservative sleaze which sadly appears to have taken root at the very heart of government.

IMF forecast “damning verdict on Conservative Government”

Commenting on the new IMF forecast which shows the UK as the only major economy to shrink, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Sarah Olney MP:

This is a damning verdict on the Conservative Government. High inflation, high-interest rates and high energy bills have left our country and hardworking families and pensioners suffering as a result.

While Number 10 lurches from one sleaze scandal to another people up and down the country are suffering from their incompetence and mismanagement. People deserve better than this Conservative shambles.

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21 January 2020 – today’s press releases

  • Tories’ new counter-terror plans undermine civil liberties
  • Welsh Lib Dems: Every child has a right to RSE
  • Govt must invest to demonstrate it values teachers
  • Welsh Lib Dems: UK Government must rethink Withdrawal Bill
  • Lib Dem peers win vote to protect child refugees

Tories’ new counter-terror plans undermine civil liberties

Responding to the Government’s announcement of new counter-terror legislation, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said:

If you could stop terrorism by passing illiberal new laws, the Conservatives would have ended it ages ago.

It’s less than a year since the Conservatives passed their last piece of unnecessary, reactionary legislation in the name of combatting

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  • Ben Wood
    It is such sad news. I was lucky to get to know Micheal over the last few years (working on a book project for the John Stuart Mill Institute). He reaffirmed fo...
  • Ed Sanderson
    Very sad news. I remember many a lively evening of erudite discussion in Leeds - Michael was a true intellect - and a genuinely warm soul. My condolences to his...
  • Jack
    This is bang on. What is the point of a liberal party that won't stand up for rights, especially when both government and opposition want to make hay out of div...
  • Matt (Bristol)
    I totally understand this is a key issue for many Lib Dems (and I'm not speaking for Lib Dems myself, I'm an ex-member). But I don't understand how this 'vangua...
  • John Grout
    Fully agree with all of this. I've seen a few MPs' Pride Month posts reference Section 28 abolition and Same-Sex Marriage - we need to start talking about this...