The Liberal Democrat Voice team now appear to be on the Party’s press release list – it wasn’t like that in my day (mind you, there were dinosaurs then…). It dawns on me that, for campaigners out there, and the generally curious, it might be interesting to see what the Party is telling the world…

Commenting on the Govenrment’s announcement that there is to be extra investment in cyber security Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary Judith Jolly said:

It is crucial that more is done to increase our cyber security in a world where attacks on computer systems are growing ever more common. But the weakening of the pound in the wake of the European Referendum result means the Government must go further and bring forward a new Strategic Defence and Security Review that considers how we properly fund our defence services with a weakened economy

A gay man has won a nine-year legal battle with the Metropolitan Police after the force admitted it failed to investigate alleged homophobic abuse. Commenting on the news Shadow Home Secretary Brian Paddick said:

The Police are not learning lessons and this tragic case is yet another example. Coming straight off the back of the Orgreave inquiry rejection, surely this shows how we cannot just say these things happened too long ago.

The Met has said that they have learnt lessons but how can they say that when it has taken them nine years to admit what happened and to finally take responsibility.

The Met have a duty of care and frankly they failed.

After St George’s Hospital – which serves people in the Richmond Park and North Kingston constituency – was placed in special measures, Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat Health spokesperson said:

This is really worrying, especially the decline in safety. The Trust serves 1.3m people in South West London. Issues involving management have been identified but other problems are clearly caused by the scandalous under-funding under this Conservative government.

It is particularly concerning that children and young people with mental health problems have been put in wards that have not even been safety checked.

Liberal Democrat by-election candidate for Richmond Park Sarah Olney said:

Seriously ill people in the constituency depend on St George’s. This is not criticism of the dedicated staff who work there but there are clearly problems which must be addressed for the good of people in Richmond Park and North Kingston.

Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Shadow Secretary Lord Paddick has today spoken on the Government’s proposals to reassess whether or not the full implementation of the Leveson Inquiry’s recommendations are in the public interest via a consultation.

Lord Paddick who was himself subjected to a trial by media following false accusations of criminal conduct spoke passionately in the House of Lords this afternoon on the need for an effective press regulator and an inquiry into a relationship between the police and the media.

The Government are playing into the hands of their friends in the right-wing press by preparing to consign Lord Justice Leveson’s recommendations to the dustbin. In Coalition, Liberal Democrats committed to implementing Leveson Parts 1 and 2 and we will push the Conservatives every step of the way to ensure that they do.”ho work but there clearly are problems

Just another typical day in Liberal Democrat Press Office…