Ministers losing track on Ukrainian refugee visa u-turns Homes for Ukraine: Refugees still trapped in bureaucratic limbo Economic Crime Bill: Lib Dems close 'Oligarch Loophole' Ministers losing track on Ukrainian refugee visa u-turns Responding to Sajid Javid's confusion this morning over a family reunion route for Ukrainian refugees, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said: The Government has u-turned so many times over visas for Ukrainian refugees, it seems even its own Cabinet Ministers have lost track. Three weeks on, it is unacceptable that the Home Office is still turning away desperate families fleeing Putin's war, and snaring ...
A Lib Dem press release brings the news: The Liberal Democrats have closed a major "oligarch loophole" in the Economic Crime Bill after the Government accepted their crucial amendment. Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran and Liberal Democrat Peer Lord Chris Fox both tabled an amendment to the legislation which sought to close a backdoor route for oligarchs to avoid meeting crucial anti-money laundering requirements contained within the Bill. The Bill establishes a register of beneficial ownership for overseas entities. However, as originally drafted, it gives the Government the power to grant individuals – which could include Kremlin-linked oligarchs – an ...
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The Welsh and UK Governments should work together to turn Wales into a renewable powerhouse that could help allies in Europe reduce their dependence on Russian oil and gas imports. Projects under construction or in the planning phase should be immediately fast-tracked. This will be a win-win not only helping to reduce UK and EU dependence on Russian hydrocarbons but boosting Welsh jobs and helping save the environment. Wales currently exports over twice the amount of power it consumes and around 48% of electricity generation in Wales already comes from renewables. But with vast reserves of tidal power in the ...
From today, residents around the country can register to offer a room or home to refugees from Putin's war in Ukraine. Residents (sponsors) will have to sign up for six months and will receive a standard payment of £350 a month for each household taking in refugees. Local councils will receive £10,000 for each refugee that comes to their area along with additional payments to support school-age children. You can register your interest at homesforukraine.campaign.gov.uk from today. You might want to wait until the load on the website has reduced. Online application forms are expected to be available from Friday. ...
I have just sat through almost every debate in the auditorium of Spring Conference and have been struck by the lack of real debate. This is primarily because nothing remotely controversial is put to the conference. We get votes in favour of between 80 and 99% in favour of policy motions and even in favour of amendments. The only time a vote was even remotely close was on whether or not to HEAR a request for a reference back! The most enthusiastic anyone got to debate issues was on how to reform the party structure. I have been a party ...
Our criminal justice system is failing. The police are understaffed as is our prison service. That means that many crimes go undetected and criminals, if caught, get little rehabilitation support within the prison service. Similar problems mean that an overstretched ... Continue reading →
Mon 14th
13:23
Johnson's gross unsuitability for office must herald a decade of genuine progressive politics
Boris Johnson has damaged Britain: its cohesion, its standing, its reputation, its economy and its constitution. But what is increasingly apparent is that he has also damaged his own Conservative party. When the time comes to remove them from office, an electoral strategy will be insufficient; there needs to be a positive plan for long-term progressive politics that both fixes the mess left by Johnson's opportunistic populism and makes sure no future Prime Minister can act with such gross impunity. And that represents the singular opportunity for Liberal Democrats today. When he led the Tories to an 80 seat majority ...
In less frenetic times, this report would have grabbed headlines - but attention has already been cornered by outrageous events in Ukraine. Those distractions are, no doubt, mightily convenient for the current cabal who pretend to power in Whitehall. The report should be required reading for all Liberal Democrat candidates for local Elections next May. There is only one name on the report's cover - lead author, Michela Palese, Research and Policy Officer, Electoral Reform Society. At first glance you will see this is not the outpourings of some single tortured soul, but the collective views garnered from a cast ...
Sun, 14:36: A look at the history of referendums where voters choose between different options for sovereignty, but independence is not on the table. The last such vote was the Northern Ireland Border Poll of 1973... https://t.co/DcJCN5Z8cy Sun, 15:59: 40 hours left to nominate in this year's Hugo awards! https://t.co/SfW9ypyORq Mon, 01:59: 30 hours left to nominate in this year's Hugo awards! https://t.co/SfW9ypyORq Mon, 10:01: RT @MikeTQUB: @nwbrux Nicholas Whyte: "I think that if there are more votes for nationalist parties than there are for unionist parties the... Mon, 10:04: 'Big shift' election could have major ramifications for Stormont and ...
EMAIL THISBLOGTHIS!SHARE TO TWITTERSHARE TO FACEBOOKSHARE TO PINTERESTMONDAY, 24 JANUARY 2022Why are we wrestling over Munich - all over again? EMAIL THISBLOGTHIS!SHARE TO TWITTERSHARE TO FACEBOOKSHARE TO PINTERESTSATURDAY, 22 JANUARY 2022How can we avoid our politics drifting the way of the USA? EMAIL THISBLOGTHIS!SHARE TO TWITTERSHARE TO FACEBOOKSHARE TO PINTERESTWEDNESDAY, 22 DECEMBER 2021Do the Red Wall MPs hold the key to the centre ground? EMAIL THISBLOGTHIS!SHARE TO TWITTERSHARE TO FACEBOOKSHARE TO PINTERESTTUESDAY, 7 DECEMBER 2021The metaphysics of covid-19 EMAIL THISBLOGTHIS!SHARE TO TWITTERSHARE TO FACEBOOKSHARE TO PINTERESTMONDAY, 15 NOVEMBER 2021Are we approaching the next wave of community innovation? EMAIL THISBLOGTHIS!SHARE TO ...
Otley and Yeadon councillor Sandy Lay has been selected as the Lib Dem PPC for the Leeds North West constituency.
I was interested to read this piece (see link below) in The Post, Liverpool's new(ish) online newspaper, which I've found very interesting:- My response to Reach and the Liverpool Echo. I do still visit your Liverpool Echo website from time to time but to be honest, your concentration on crime is really depressing. I want to read interesting, well-researched articles about the Liverpool City Region and some good investigative journalism digging into the dark corners of councils, companies and organisations who would rather such reporting was not happening. I appreciate that your business model has been turned upside down ...
By-elections can have a dramatic impact on the political scene. The Orpington by-election, the 60th Anniversary of which is today, was the first and therefore biggest to rock a Government. The 26% swing to the Liberals saw them leap frog Labour and replace the Conservatives who had represented the area since universal suffrage was introduced. The ingredients to build the winning campaign was not dissimilar to the factors at play in Chesham and Amersham and North Shropshire in 2021. The Liberals had a fledgling local government base, there was an unpopular Conservative Government, matched with an arrogant and complacent attitude ...
The government may be offering UK households £360 a month as a thank you for housing a Ukrainian refugee, but the biggest obstacle to delivering that scheme remains UK ministers themselves. I listened to Radio Wales this morning, and the Welsh Tory leader's reaction to the First Ministers ambition to welcome 1000 refugees, and was shocked at Andrew R.T, Davies' complete lack of awareness of the obstacles being put in place on the UK border to women and children fleeing a war zone, in getting here in the first place. Mark Drakeford said he wants Wales to be a "nation ...
I hope that everyone, or at least those of you who took part, enjoyed Spring Conference online. And yes, I know, it isn't the same without the social interaction but it's better than the alternative. There's a lot to be said for niceness and, in what is often (and especially now) not a particularly nice world, it is important to remember that those who don't wholly agree with us are worthy of our respect nonetheless. As Dame Edna Everage puts it; But seriously, it's sixty years since the iconic Orpington by-election, and Chris Maines brings back some happier memories. And, ...
DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - WEEKLY ROAD REPORT REPORT FOR WEST END WARD - WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY 14 MARCH 2022 Perth Road (at Millbay Gardens) - off‑peak temporary traffic lights until Monday 14 March for footway works. West Port roundabout - lane closures for one week for BT work. Blackness Road at junction with Balgay Road - 4 way temporary lights for 4 days from Monday 14 March for City Fibre works. Strawberrybank (Magdalen Yard Road and Perth Road) - closed from Monday 14 March for 6 days for City Fibre works. Forthcoming Roadworks Osborne Place (Magdalen Yard Road and Perth ...
