20 Most Recent Stories From Liberal Democrats : All News Feed

Tue 29th Jul 2008:

Video: Nick Clegg's summer message.

Nick Clegg has recorded a summer message for Liberal Democrat members and supporters. In it he talks about the problems facing Labour, how the Liberal Democrats would help families with the rising cost of living, and the party's plans for the autumn. You can watch a subtitled version of the video on Overstream. 

Thu 21st Aug 2008:

Clegg: 'Apollo Project' to secure UK's energy.

Visiting an offshore energy farm in the North Sea today, Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg will warn that Britain’s energy security is under severe threat as a result of the Government’s disintegrating energy policy, which will lead to an ever-increasing dependence on vulnerable foreign energy supplies. Setting out Liberal Democrat proposals to secure energy independence for Britain, Nick Clegg will argue that politicians of all parties need to demonstrate the kind of vision, application and political will behind the Apollo Project that succeeded in putting man on the moon, in order to head off the threat to the security of our energy supply.Nick Clegg said:"The Government has been looking at energy from the wrong end of the telescope."The scale of its failure to plan for Britain’s energy security has been brought into sharp relief by the Georgian crisis, which underlines the risks of increasing dependence on foreign energy sources as North Sea oil supplies run down."Rather than use its period in office to reduce Britain’s dependency on vulnerable supplies from unstable regions, Labour has dithered and flip-flopped for over a decade. Instead of an energy policy, we have a potential economic, environmental and national security disaster waiting to happen. "But we have an enormous opportunity to create real energy independence for the UK, freeing ourselves from the shackles of foreign oil, coal and gas."Renewable energy is no longer a pipe-dream. It is realistic and achievable. All it requires is the leadership and vision that has been lacking under years of tired Labour thinking."That’s why today I am setting out Liberal Democrat proposals to become energy independent by 2050. This will require the kind of ambition and political will that succeeded in putting man on the moon. "We need an ‘Apollo Project’ for British energy independence."Just as Britain invested in the North Sea in the 1970s to transform our energy prospects through oil production, we must today make similar investment in renewable technologies to harness Britain’s vast renewable energy resources, combined with major reductions in energy consumption." To read the policy paper click here.

Thu 7th Aug 2008:

Liberal Democrats outline youth crime proposals.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne, today accused both Labour and the Conservatives of ‘falling over each other to be tough on crime’ as he promoted his party’s new plans for stopping young people from committing crimes.The ideas outlined in the document A Life Away From Crime also highlight how to stop children who have been found guilty of minor offences from committing more serious crimes.The main proposals include: Making young people pay back the damage caused to communities without involving the criminal justice system The formation of a Youth Volunteer Force to engage young people in activities that benefit local people Running nationwide restorative justice programmes, with a particular emphasis on early intervention in schools and care homes Creating a dedicated PCSO youth officer in every area to work with teenagers most at risk of offending Targeting guns and knives through intelligence-led stop and search, hot-spot policing and action in schools Chris Huhne said:"If we want to tackle the problem of youth crime, we need to take action early to stop kids from embarking on a life of crime before it’s too late. "The old parties are falling over each other trying to be tough on crime, but nothing is being done do stop young people getting sucked in to a cycle of crime."Ministers know that programmes to divert kids away from crime work, and are even happy to promote such projects. However, they have failed to fund them properly in favour of punitive policies that grab headlines but achieve little."It is time for a new approach to youth justice which both prevents crime and confronts young people with their actions if they do break the law." To read the paper click here.

Thu 21st Aug 2008:

Dental contract an abject failure - Lamb.

Commenting on today’s figures showing that over a million fewer people have seen an NHS dentist since the new dental contract was introduced in 2006, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "The Government is in complete denial over the fact that the new dental contract has been an abject failure. "People want to see an NHS dentist, but all the evidence shows they are finding this increasingly difficult. "The crisis in NHS dentistry is Labour’s hidden legacy."

Fall in immigration shows economy is very seriously slowing down - Cable.

Commenting on the fall in Eastern European immigration announced today by the Government, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: "This is another clear indication that the British economy is very seriously slowing down. "We haven’t yet got the figures for the number of Eastern Europeans returning home, but I suspect there will have been a big increase. "If we get into a serious recession, immigration will become negative, as it has before. "I hope that all those people who have been running scare stories about the impact of immigration from Eastern Europe on jobs and housing will now eat a little humble pie. They should acknowledge that immigration flows are very sensitive to the state of the economy."

House building slump shows Government is divorced from reality - Goldsworthy.

Commenting on figures showing that house building in England has slumped by 19% in the last year, Liberal Democrat Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary, Julia Goldsworthy said: "With house building hitting rock bottom, this Government’s centralised housing targets are beginning to look like nothing more than a pipe-dream. "But unreachable targets will not help the thousands of families in unsuitable housing. "This is yet another example of how divorced this Government is from reality."

Energy companies lining up to clobber customers - Clegg.

On the day that Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg has called for ambitious action to improve energy efficiency and secure the UK’s energy independence, E.ON has announced its decision to raise gas prices by a quarter and electricity prices by 16%. Commenting, Nick Clegg said: "Millions of people will get a huge shock when they realise how much it will cost to heat their homes this winter. For the most vulnerable people the effect will be devastating. "One by one, the major energy companies are lining up to clobber customers with enormous price rises. "Labour has allowed the energy giants to act as they please. It is unacceptable that on this Government’s watch these companies have benefited from a £9bn windfall, yet they continue to turn the screws on people who are already struggling with high prices. "Energy companies should be compelled to put some of this money back into insulating the homes of their poorest customers."

Educational divide must be tackled - Brooke.

Commenting on the publication of GCSE results today, Liberal Democrat Schools Spokesperson, Annette Brooke said: "These young people have clearly worked hard and we should celebrate their success. "The drop in the total number of entries would suggest that many schools are now turning their backs on GCSEs, particularly in maths. The new regulator must ensure GCSEs really are rigorous qualifications that properly stretch the most talented pupils. "It is very concerning that the gap between boys and girls appears to be widening again. This educational divide must be tackled. "Increased funding needs to be directly linked to children from deprived backgrounds so that schools can provide the increased and personalised support they need."

Cancelled operations show NHS under unsustainable pressure - Lamb.

Commenting on new figures released by the Conservatives today [Thursday], which claim over 100,000 NHS operations were cancelled last year for non-clinical reasons, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "There is a real issue with the number of cancelled operations. They are yet another sign of the unsustainable pressure the NHS is under. "Hospitals are being straitjacketed by this Government. Patient care is coming second to the overwhelming pressure to meet targets. "But there is some doubt about the Conservative analysis. If the figures for Kingston Hospital should have been 190 instead of over 10,000 then the projection to 100,000 cases across the country could well be inaccurate."

Wed 20th Aug 2008:

Government bureaucracy turning away childminders - Brooke.

Commenting on the news that the number of registered childminders has fallen by over 10% in four years, Liberal Democrat Shadow Children Spokesperson, Annette Brooke said: "The Government’s overly prescriptive and bureaucratic approach to pre-school care is causing childminders to turn away from the profession. "It is now becoming increasingly difficult for parents to find quality and affordable childcare. "Ministers must rethink the current system so that the new measures find the right balance between ensuring that children are cared for in a suitable environment, without placing unreasonable demands on childminders."

Benefits change penalises vulnerable pensioners - Barrett.

Commenting on reports that thousands of pensioners could miss out on hundreds of pounds worth of backdated benefits as a result of changes to the pension credit, council tax benefit and housing benefit systems, Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions Spokesperson, John Barrett said: "With these changes, the Government is giving with one hand and taking away with the other. "I cannot see any justification for the change in the backdating rules other than to save money for the Exchequer. The simple reality is that some of the most vulnerable pensioners will be missing out on hundreds, perhaps thousands of pounds as a result. "The Government should be focusing on increasing the benefits take-up rate rather than penalising pensioners who were either unaware of the help that is available, or unsure of how to apply."

New mortgage figures show housing market in freefall - Cable.

Commenting on today’s Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) announcement that mortgage lending in July 2008 was nearly a third lower than at the same time last year, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: "This is more evidence off a housing market in freefall. "As thousands of pounds are wiped off the value of homes each month, the only people selling are those who have no alternative. "Although painful, house prices must be allowed to return to more affordable levels following years of huge price rises on the back of unsustainable levels of personal debt. "The Government must act to ensure that we have no repeat of the Tory recession of the 1990s, when hundreds of thousands of families unable to pay their mortgages were thrown out of their houses."

Conservative policy is nothing but hopelessly vague ambitions - Clegg.

Commenting on George Osborne’s speech today, in which he attacks the Government for having let down poor families, Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg said: "George Osborne’s restaurant has a menu without prices. There is something for everyone, but no one has to pay. "What passes for Conservative policy is nothing but a series of hopelessly vague ambitions. They would rather repeatedly tell us that we are broken than say what they would do to fix things. The only genuine policy they have is a tax break for the richest 6% of people. "The Liberal Democrats know that to create a fairer society we need tax cuts for people on low and middle incomes, whilst high earners and those who damage the environment pay more. "It’s time for the Conservatives to realise that power must be earned not inherited and to start setting out some serious policies."

Leo Abse paved the way for greater equality - Featherstone.

Paying tribute to the late Leo Abse, former MP and gay rights champion, Liberal Democrat Youth and Equality Spokesperson, Lynne Featherstone said: "As a nation we should be grateful for his contribution as a Parliamentarian. He spearheaded some of the most momentous changes in legislation, paving the way for greater equality. "His successes in Parliament freed many from the shackles of paternalism and bigotry, allowing us some of the basic liberties we now take for granted."

Ticket scams will disappoint hundreds of fans - Foster.

Commenting on reports that many fans hoping to attend Reading Festival who bought tickets from unlicensed resellers have not been sent tickets, Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Don Foster said: "It seems that music fans from across the country will be left hugely disappointed again this weekend as a result of these scams. "It’s quite disgraceful that ticket touts are getting away with conning people for successive music festivals. "The public needs to have confidence that the websites they’re purchasing from are legitimate and that will only happen when we have a proper code of conduct in place. "These latest reports must act as a wake-up call for the Government. We need ticket resellers to be licensed as part of a wider strategy for squeezing out these illegal practices."

Diabetes strategy worthless without obesity focus - Lamb.

Commenting on today’s Department of Health study into progress made since the publication of its diabetes plan for England five years ago, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "This report shows the NHS has taken a step in the right direction, but there is still a long way to go before people with diabetes are getting the help they need to manage their condition. "But what is most striking about the report is what it doesn’t say. Almost no mention is made of the big risk that, unless we effectively tackle obesity, the number of people suffering with diabetes will almost certainly increase. "A diabetes strategy will not be worth the paper it’s written on if a greater focus is not put on obesity. "The Government is spending an enormous amount on treating conditions caused by obesity and not nearly enough on prevention. It’s treating the symptom rather than the underlying causes. "We need to ensure that the message about the vital importance of a healthy lifestyle gets through to the public, especially to children and families."

Remove children from the DNA Database - Miller.

All children should be removed from the National DNA Database immediately unless they have committed a serious sexual or violent crime, according to new Liberal Democrat plans published today.The proposals would dramatically increase safeguards for all personal data in the wake of numerous Government and private sector data protection failures. The Liberal Democrats’ plans include: Strengthening the role of the Information Commissioner and doubling his budget Removing under 16s from the DNA database, except those convicted of a violent or sexual offence Properly informing citizens of opt-outs from government databases Introducing extensive civil penalties for serious breaches of data security Commenting, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Baroness (Sue) Miller said: “We’ve seen no end to this Government’s shambolic approach to data security. Discs lost in the post. Laptops lost on trains. Files left lying around. “The Government is collecting more and more information about us, but seems utterly incapable of keeping it safe. “Only the Liberal Democrats have comprehensive proposals to keep private information safe. We will ensure only essential data is stored and that proper systems are in place to prevent its loss or misuse.” To read the full document click here

Time to end GCSE 'dumbing down' debate - Brooke.

Commenting ahead of tomorrow’s release of GCSE results, Liberal Democrat Shadow Children Spokesperson, Annette Brooke said: "After 11 years of a Labour Government, most young people are still failing to achieve five good GCSEs including English and Maths. "If we are going to have a world class education system, we must do more to improve educational achievement in this country - especially among the most disadvantaged children. "Some children find themselves falling behind long before they even reach GCSE age. Spotting and tackling underachievement in the early years is vital. "It is time to put an end to the debate over whether exams are getting easier - it’s not fair on young people who have worked so hard and rightly want to celebrate. "A fully independent watchdog that can stand up to Government and act as a real guardian of standards, is the only way to put a stop to those claims that education is being ‘dumbed-down’."

Breaking up BAA monopoly long overdue - Baker.

Commenting on today’s Competition Commission report, which recommends that BAA sell two of its three London airports, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: "Today’s decision is a victory for UK air passengers who have put up with a second class service at what should be London’s first class airports. "The Liberal Democrats were the only party to call for the sale of two of the London airports. "Breaking up the BAA monopoly is a long overdue move to make aviation fairer to passengers. The next step is to end the hidden public subsidy to the aviation industry to make air travel fair to the environment as well."

Road pricing scheme could leave motorists paying twice over - Baker.

Commenting on Government proposals to introduce trial road pricing schemes, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: "There is a real danger that motorists will end up paying their road tax twice over if road pricing is introduced without scrapping Vehicle Excise Duty. "Motorway and trunk road pricing is the way forward but only if it replaces other taxes. Otherwise it will become another green tax that the Government has given a bad name to. Green taxes must not be stealth taxes. "Given the fiasco caused by ministers’ decision to hike up car tax retrospectively, motorists will have no confidence that the Government is trying to do anything other than squeeze more money out of them."

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