Responding to reports that Russian* oligarch Alisher Usmanov was able to offload his UK properties before UK sanctions came into effect, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran MP said: "The Conservative Government's dither and delay on sanctions has meant that Putin's cronies have once again gotten away with it. It took Ministers weeks to put the proper sanctions into place - meanwhile, it looks like oligarchs were fire-selling their assets all that time. "Where oligarchs have transferred their holdings to their families, those relatives must be immediately sanctioned. Putin's cronies' properties and assets in the UK should now be ...
Tue 22nd
22:49
Nationality and Borders Bill: A traffickers' charter that will cause deaths in the Channel
Following votes in the House of Commons on the Government's Nationality and Borders Bill, where Conservative MPs voted to overturn cross-party amendments passed in the Lords, Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron said: "Priti Patel's Anti-Refugee Bill is a traffickers' charter. By voting for it, Conservative MPs have voted for deaths in the Channel. "Taking away any safe and legal route for refugees to reach the UK will only force them to take dangerous ones. "The real problem is entirely a structural one of incompetence in the Home Office, and this Bill will do nothing to fix it. It will only ...
Following votes in the House of Lords to restore amendments protecting the right to protest, that were overturned by the Government in the Commons last month, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said: "Today the Liberal Democrats have struck another blow against the Conservatives' anti-democratic attempts to silence any opposition and trample people's fundamental rights. "Now that Peers from all parties have defeated Priti Patel's draconian proposals for a second time, surely Conservative MPs must now think again. The Government should listen to police officers and the public, and stop their assault on British rights and freedoms. "The ...
HMICFRS report: Met police needs new leadership not stitch up by Johnson and Patel Oligarch ditches UK mansions after government sanctions delay Nationality and Borders Bill: A traffickers' charter that will cause deaths in the Channel Patel must stop her assault on British rights and freedoms HMICFRS report: Met police needs new leadership not stitch up by Johnson and Patel Responding to the report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) into corruption in the Met Police and the case of Daniel Morgan, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: This shocking report lays bare the ...
On paper, an informal Lib-Lab pact at the next General Election makes sense. Whatever you want to call it – informal, non-aggressive, unofficial, secret - an agreement is reportedly in place, and it makes political sense. It makes political sense as we are in a unique situation. The Lib Dems and Labour have not always been on friendly terms, particularly at the local level where campaigning styles often clash, and in some constituencies and Councils they never will be. Yet at the next General Election (if it takes place in 2024) the Conservatives will have been in power for 14 ...
Writing in the Independent today, Vince Cable said: The geopolitical earthquake in Ukraine will generate an economic tsunami, sweeping away comforts and orthodoxies with which we have become familiar in recent decades. We don't yet know the height of the waves, but we know they are on their way. The era of low interest rates is first to go. Central banks, including our own Bank of England, are becoming alarmed about inflation and are moving to higher rates, which further depresses consumer demand and investment. Despite rate rises, some forecasters believe the UK could hit 10 per cent inflation by ...
Formally, it is the Spring Statement. But to many facing soaring energy, fuel and food prices - not to mention the National Insurance hike and suspension of the triple lock - it is a budget that could make the difference between being warm or being hungry. Being able to afford a few luxuries or having to skimp on essentials. For some it will mean trips to the food bank. Much has been written on the spiralling cost of living. Just today, I received a polite note from my home energy provider saying announcing a 42% increase from 1 April. Many ...
The link below to a Northern Agenda page is both revealing and informative:- It shows how, with a government made up of the wealthy, a 'system' to get a £150 fuel bill relief help scheme is actually aimed at those who pay their council tax bills by direct debit. The poor don't use/can't use direct debit so they and the councils who need to get the money to them are left in a bureaucratic mess. I've seen this at first hand via talking to a Sefton Borough resident who is trying to get a payment process set up but ...
Tue 22nd
11:45
Liverpool has a mountain to climb to deal with complex educational, health and social issues
The depths of the problems that Liverpool faces has been laid bare in a report on Liverpool's 'city plan' to go to the Mayoral and Performance Select Committee on Wednesday night. The report shows that Liverpool has worse indicators for ... Continue reading →
Mon, 17:20: Wow. This is squirm-inducing. https://t.co/VTvAvmB5og Mon, 18:53: Lost in Translation, by Ella Frances Sanders https://t.co/XMvqJ82wto https://t.co/sQ3xUCEWaw Tue, 06:03: RT @StevenTDennis: Fun fact: Grassley has been in political office for more than a quarter of the time since the Declaration of Independenc... Tue, 08:16: 65 mins door to door this morning - unusually fast! (@ APCO Brussels) https://t.co/5CNLc5L9ot Tue, 11:44: RT @ElunedAnderson: First time I've ever been told I've got a strong Welsh accent, so I suppose that's a win? 🥴 https://t.co/zNdzlcyGhy
I suspect that there aren't that many people who actively seek to be on the e-mail list for local government press releases. But, for a Parish Council Chair, they often serve as the easiest means of finding out what is going to happen to you next. Indeed, it slightly surprised me that more of my colleagues don't do likewise. For, whilst they are sometimes irrelevant - I'm not sure why I get Babergh's press releases, for example - you get the odd one which might be of genuine value to some of our residents, if only they knew. Grant schemes, ...
To say that the UK government's response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis has been shameful, is an understatement. Not only is the UK the only country in Europe that requires visas before women and children, who are fleeing a war zone, can enter the country, but the government continue to put as much red tape as possible in their way, making it difficult, if not impossible for Ukrainians to find refuge here. Now it transpires that a law wending its way through the Parliamentary process could see Ukrainians thrown into prison. The Guardian reports that ministers have confirmed they are ...
At the request of St Paul's Cathedral, I am highlighting tomorrow evening's service on National Remembrance Day - all are very welcome!
Consultants have been drafted in by Labour-run Gateshead Council to tell them how to listen to the people! A "Resident Influence Strategy" will be "designed" by TPAS, a "not-for-profit" organisation which will work with council tenants, leaseholders and employees. It would be interesting to know how much this exercise in explaining democracy to the Council has cost local council tax payers. And
