tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-299583112024-03-14T03:12:51.331+00:00Aberavon & Neath Liberal DemocratsAberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.comBlogger3007125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-32300723347859247272023-11-13T20:10:00.002+00:002023-11-13T20:10:37.787+00:00Liberal Democrats are making the case for a different road in Gaza<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqOV9Rnu3zWdUkiZ-ju7TcsNJHTRH8jtqa_r2ulykYG4KGMIEwcT0lBT-eRNObVejRJBhy1QofeFHsyf7HsNY9taVtusaTCARFJB8bEfW64oWQRgI8aDNQmGPoO1aGvZKzfMBbLOIR7-KwRran8pK4YtI-bJlrWI3VbTctsi6GNPAu3QvTKt5S3w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="132" data-original-width="316" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqOV9Rnu3zWdUkiZ-ju7TcsNJHTRH8jtqa_r2ulykYG4KGMIEwcT0lBT-eRNObVejRJBhy1QofeFHsyf7HsNY9taVtusaTCARFJB8bEfW64oWQRgI8aDNQmGPoO1aGvZKzfMBbLOIR7-KwRran8pK4YtI-bJlrWI3VbTctsi6GNPAu3QvTKt5S3w" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What horrific images we have seen unfold on our TV screens these past few weeks. The shocking terrorist attacks by Hamas. The bombing of so much of Gaza. The innocent Palestinians left without even food or water including premature babies dead or on the brink of dying. Families mourning loved ones, or fearing for those being held hostage.</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the face of this dire situation, Liberal Democrats are making the case for a different way.</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are clear that Hamas cannot be allowed to remain in charge of Gaza. We are concerned that a military solution to eliminate them will not work. And we believe that, with this humanitarian disaster, with over 200 still being held hostage by Hamas, and with the risk of escalation across the region, now is the time to try a new approach.</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We’re calling on the UK Government to back an immediate bilateral ceasefire, to achieve a political solution.</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><a data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="1" href="https://links.liberal.democrat/u/click?_t=e5737551da80462ca46d0365530215a4&_m=d6b623136470485ca5b75f43df7b99c1&_e=T2N9L0Zo8db8LBZPAOLUqQcM3owAXoBLFrCJ_4EvHvL7uOkEVQkvL4RThfgB_NQN5D5TqBT8gmaSuzF444fJ5cMQ0oilHjf5GgfHyG_rN0mUfI6QryAgi_8tnqxaOMRKg-QZ1RW61IEmhefiJ26oyD3y3de3PWDMIJ5cMdYk7F6Brp-JezFF9NvtW-kvfQ-dkZDMwpRF0iDmjUpMxEdSeN8jmm_JehAJXj-CgQsG2qquGsvejwPIuITQe95fo0bp8CuF1Ww0omJGXIQdO0JBKFFhV_v3iN_Qwmle--BiThU%3D" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: rgb(43, 89, 195) !important; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">As Ed Davey has set out</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, a ceasefire cannot be about freezing the conflict, leaving Hamas in charge of Gaza. That’s unacceptable. It must be contingent upon both parties. And it cannot be the end goal - that must always be two states and a lasting peace.</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ed and I have met countless individuals over the past few weeks - diplomats, faith leaders, organisations working to support community cohesion, families of those being held hostage and countless others.</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At every meeting we have attended, it has been clear to us both that the UK simply cannot allow this situation to return to the status quo ante. We simply cannot risk going through all this again.</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So we choose to centre a two-state solution. Because only a lasting peace can deliver the security which both Palestinians and Israelis deserve. So that Palestinian and Israeli children can grow up free of this awful cycle of violence and tragedy. And that is what Liberal Democrats will keep advocating for, in the House of Commons and across the UK.</span><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;" /><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-9178066418657237412023-10-28T09:52:00.001+01:002023-10-28T09:52:46.320+01:00Workplace harassment: Wera Hobhouse's Bill makes progress<p> The Liberal Democrat MP for Bath writes:</p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_paragraph" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_charcoal" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #151721; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_padded" style="padding: 0px 20px;"><p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;">Over the past few months there has been a steady stream of news stories about harassment in workplaces across the UK, from the NHS and regulatory bodies to large corporations. Yet many incidences of harassment still go unreported and with no action taken to redress the perpetrators. Research by the House of Commons suggests 40 percent of women and 18 percent of men in the UK have experienced some form of workplace harassment.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />We Liberal Democrats have continually campaigned hard to protect women and girls. In 2018, as a new MP, I campaigned to make upskirting a crime. My Private Member’s Bill on this issue was taken on by the Government as the Voyeurism (Offences) (No.2) Bill in 2019. My Liberal Democrat colleagues and I are determined to keep working hard to prevent women from being harassed, wherever they are.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" /><strong>Today I wanted to update you about the passing of my Private Members Bill on workplace sexual harassment, which is a key part of our work fighting for more equitable work spaces.</strong><br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill requires employers to take reasonable steps to prevent harassment, instead of putting the onus on individual employees to report incidents. The Bill makes employers liable to their employees if they have not taken reasonable steps to prevent harassment.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />This amendment will address deficiencies in the Equality Act 2010 identified by the EHRC, the House of Commons Women and Equalities Select Committee, and the Fawcett Society. In 2018 the EHRC found that only a minority of employers had effective processes to prevent and address sexual harassment.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" /><strong>What does this change to the law mean?</strong><br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />Currently, the law places the onus on an individual to report an incident of harassment to her superiors. This means, in practice, that women do not report harassment because they are embarrassed about ‘making a fuss’ or worried that it will impact their career prospects. That is why a 2018 TUC report estimated that as many as 79% of women have not reported incidents of workplace harassment.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />My Bill looks to change the culture of workplaces to prevent harassment before it happens. It sends a clear signal that such behaviour is unacceptable, and should bring about a long-term change in attitudes toward harassment.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />I am proud to have worked alongside brilliant organisations such as the Fawcett Society and the wider Alliance for Women, as well as the Minister for Women and Baroness Burt, to help make this Bill a reality.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />See my speech in Parliament on the Bill here:</p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_solo-button-gold" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 0px 20px;"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_button" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 560px;"><tbody><tr><td><a alt="Watch" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="1" href="https://links.liberal.democrat/u/click?_t=e5737551da80462ca46d0365530215a4&_m=38ac1e6badae4bb0a798b8294d36bff0&_e=fO5BiiccdFUPvFeJe6yPhH_umv1EP7J3u2K402iZepMRL8_klR7tTuSCU7N7aYIadvRnXJZwiyHJC3fmI2FeOgnka0CMfGMzafgNi6Fx_iK9VzBN-KhavD6r8RFvXFzhTn4KFiRc12g7hFbpwQMA0A3Or141gCLFrxuPU-gZ9Ie4w3y7s0u7EbYGJ4S2zPUbkZrG1wn7vkXGt4Y4FuICyqqunT-wA64rHEndj6fQ7K6Nmb_iIysGVqGHet7FTt1t" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-radius: 4px; border: 0px; color: #151721; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 1.3rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 50px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Watch ➜</a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><br aria-hidden="true" /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_paragraph" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_signature" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_signature" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_padded" style="padding: 20px 50px 10px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_charcoal" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #151721; font: inherit;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_profile" style="padding-right: 30px;"><img alt="Wera Hobhouse" data-imagetype="External" src="https://images.liberal.democrat/signatures/Wera%20Hobhouse%20signature.png" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="120" /></td><td class="x_name" style="line-height: 22.5px;" width="375"><p style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;"><strong>Wera Hobhouse MP</strong> (she/her)<br aria-hidden="true" /><em>Liberal Democrats</em></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><td class="x_footer"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_footertext" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table bgcolor="#F5F5F5" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_bg-grey" role="presentation" style="background-color: whitesmoke; border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-12774988756883414882023-10-27T16:22:00.000+01:002023-10-27T16:22:58.653+01:00Gaza: a message from our party leader<p> </p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_paragraph" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_charcoal" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #151721; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_padded" style="padding: 0px 20px;"><p style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;">I was horrified to wake up on 7th October to the awful terrorist attacks in Israel, which we have condemned unequivocally. I have been heartbroken and dismayed to see the scenes of violence in Israel and Palestine over the past two and a half weeks.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />It is hard to watch the news right now. We continue to hear reports of the brutal terrorism of Hamas, which still holds more than 200 Israelis hostage in Gaza. And now we have a situation in Gaza which is frankly devastating. The 2.2 million residents of the Gaza Strip, over half of whom are children, are hurtling towards a humanitarian catastrophe. It is horrifying.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />Liberal Democrats are clear: it is vital that essential supplies like food, water and medicine get to innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza, in line with international law. It is also of the utmost importance that the hostages - among whose number includes children as young as nine months old - are immediately and unconditionally released.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />We support Israel’s right to protect its citizens and target these brutal terrorists Hamas, in line with international law. We are clear that innocent Palestinians must not pay the price for the atrocities of Hamas. And we affirm that the world has a duty to prevent needless civilian deaths.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />That’s why, over the weekend, we declared our support for a temporary humanitarian ceasefire, in order to bring about a pause in hostilities. We need the space for an intense period of diplomacy, to get humanitarian aid into Gaza, and to provide an opportunity to realise the release of the hostages.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />In the House of Commons earlier this week, I asked the Prime Minister to support our call.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />You can watch my question here:</p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_solo-button-gold" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 0px 20px;"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_button" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 560px;"><tbody><tr><td><a alt="Watch now" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="1" href="https://links.liberal.democrat/u/click?_t=e5737551da80462ca46d0365530215a4&_m=1d98c2b90f28494ab401717c658926b9&_e=khIxj1iqNb6QFH0TM4MCWR5tABVHqloTtko_NIf4mHbKrsonme8wYM-a9pLtz8lAKmVbWx-CJtp_HvCH2Gq73TbWYI1AvpFWQ24XvVLt1kz5lx7B9jW7OS2yJPdTOjqwk6VrWOkeurR57uAboUQ5ykBAMHuhB_fq7xdYx5eDeqzPGVDQNrQGTMBDkZOncSItlCdCEfoyaHmGUZxh2TzzbPDvDH1ugI02EmOHp7mpwg-p6VpRW4zww4fdq7fxYIKT" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-radius: 4px; border: 0px; color: #151721; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 1.3rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 50px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Watch now ➜</a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><br aria-hidden="true" style="background-color: white; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_paragraph" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_charcoal" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #151721; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_padded" style="padding: 0px 20px;"><p style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;">We were not alone when we called for a humanitarian ceasefire. Others, like the Archbishop of Canterbury, had already done so. And in the days since, there has been some movement within the international community and within the UK. Both the Government and the Labour Party now call for what they term a ‘humanitarian pause’. But there is further to go.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />We are clear that the people of Israel and Palestine have a right to live free from fear. The thing that will ultimately give them the security which they deserve - the security which will prevent the sort of scenes which we have seen over the past days - is to finally bring about the two state solution, and a lasting peace.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />Liberal Democrats are the party of internationalism and international law. We have long advocated for a two state solution, and we will continue to do so.<br aria-hidden="true" /></p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_charcoal" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #151721; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_profile" style="padding-right: 30px;"><img alt="Ed Davey" data-imagetype="External" src="https://images.liberal.democrat/signatures/Ed%20Davey%20signature.png" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="120" /></td><td class="x_name" style="line-height: 22.5px;" width="305"><p style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;"><strong>Ed Davey MP</strong><br aria-hidden="true" />Leader of the Liberal Democrats<br aria-hidden="true" />(he/him)</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;"><br /></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-27356930850531428872023-10-14T11:58:00.000+01:002023-10-14T11:58:03.779+01:00Council By-Election Quarterly Review (July to September 2023)<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #242424; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody class="x_mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="x_mcnTextBlockInner" style="padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_mcnTextContent" style="color: rgb(95, 87, 79) !important; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 18px 9px; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"><strong>The Lib Dems are having a remarkable year in council by-elections!</strong><br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />This report rounds up our performance between July and September. Once again we were first in terms of net gains and share of the vote increases. <br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />Overall 51 council seats were contested. We made 8 gains and successfully defended 5 wards - while only losing 1 ward during this period (to an independent candidate - we didn't suffer a single loss to another political party).<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" /><strong>This gave us a net result of 7 more Lib Dem councillors.</strong> This is comfortably the best performance of any party (the Conservatives, Labour and Nationalist parties all went backwards). Our gains came from the Conservatives (5), Labour (2) and 1 from the Vectis Party in the Isle of Wight. </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_mcnImageBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #242424; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody class="x_mcnImageBlockOuter"><tr><td class="x_mcnImageBlockInner" style="padding: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_mcnImageContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_mcnImageContent" style="padding: 0px 9px; text-align: center;" valign="top"><img align="center" alt="" class="x_mcnImage" data-imagetype="External" src="https://mcusercontent.com/1961e638191c24b41d1651e91/images/523c55fa-39e8-9e85-7cb7-c7f877ad2e74.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; display: inline !important; font: inherit; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 1630px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="564" /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #242424; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; min-width: 100%; width: 100%;"><tbody class="x_mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr></tr></tbody></table>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-65394703800392201732023-07-23T09:13:00.000+01:002023-07-23T09:13:10.333+01:00National electoral performance since "Brexit" general election<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipHtW6eeDx1_bSXwMoO9trfNsh6IYb7EM4qgSHdqueSSi6QV9eZtInWRu9HsunB_nnJvD_LR6pScmJRa4Nle7oET_X6AucAWS5YUbpEDVjbvi4MKKE5LrVaHh2PBPmm6mIWDDgGAj0RfMyvjYGRo8-ulBXd3E2QsiUScce__8n3ND73CllVUEPrw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="408" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipHtW6eeDx1_bSXwMoO9trfNsh6IYb7EM4qgSHdqueSSi6QV9eZtInWRu9HsunB_nnJvD_LR6pScmJRa4Nle7oET_X6AucAWS5YUbpEDVjbvi4MKKE5LrVaHh2PBPmm6mIWDDgGAj0RfMyvjYGRo8-ulBXd3E2QsiUScce__8n3ND73CllVUEPrw=w429-h640" width="429" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-59381626550454474542023-07-12T10:55:00.001+01:002023-07-12T10:55:36.134+01:00National by-election performance<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_DOkGtKF9Lxo97Scbk3e0S8ABMSjTnhAme8nYszJRczFjXtLR5-37_HhlbMqsJu35oNuMxVxr8xaAqbOTz9o4Ck4mJUHntTWyUyYw9WqKh07RPxVSzeur760X2nxn1g1FZNU2VunDPLONJIUOlx9h14pKYMIQQndH6RcZyOLkA5PbiL6jJt5ZCw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="627" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_DOkGtKF9Lxo97Scbk3e0S8ABMSjTnhAme8nYszJRczFjXtLR5-37_HhlbMqsJu35oNuMxVxr8xaAqbOTz9o4Ck4mJUHntTWyUyYw9WqKh07RPxVSzeur760X2nxn1g1FZNU2VunDPLONJIUOlx9h14pKYMIQQndH6RcZyOLkA5PbiL6jJt5ZCw=w627-h640" width="627" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-53755411211994232562023-07-07T18:51:00.000+01:002023-07-07T18:51:38.179+01:00Protest against bus cuts<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiy1RcW23c-fATC8LTu8OiV9KVnkdTwPj7s0pSRVPydTnGq5KrxCUKAFyeif9ngVzxvU1uW9rAtJbMkZZ9D-IkXUTIzHvS0E_QNkNQJdmu0yTQSXTnTIVyJ1uF6CoCbigLSAOxTfbjRuKZkk5fddX-9nqBlbkQNjsdYad7BZObmhnyROFfNVDL6vA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="775" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiy1RcW23c-fATC8LTu8OiV9KVnkdTwPj7s0pSRVPydTnGq5KrxCUKAFyeif9ngVzxvU1uW9rAtJbMkZZ9D-IkXUTIzHvS0E_QNkNQJdmu0yTQSXTnTIVyJ1uF6CoCbigLSAOxTfbjRuKZkk5fddX-9nqBlbkQNjsdYad7BZObmhnyROFfNVDL6vA=w400-h304" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The revised parliamentary boundaries have been ratified by Westminster. Rhos will be in the expanded Brecon constituency at the next general election.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the meantime, bus travellers have complaints against Westminster, the Welsh Labour/Plaid government and the Neath Port Talbot county borough council over cuts to bus subsidies and therefore reduced services. So Neath party members are encouraged to join this leaflet distribution.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-84804794337780926792023-06-22T07:23:00.001+01:002023-06-22T07:23:33.174+01:00End puppy smuggling<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlQapnbtEdPxLAfzv5nmumOQXeg8maKaeHdVLDpuLVn6H3g-oyld2xucyEUK3fHFhDXXNCCGO64RFxcV98JCIE8N3gJSMVevOGBHR7xFvZQv5YGi-VRMFflJ0TiZ_HDfEWl12MA38frdKSbgPuW78VqcjW7nLvv1-8m9pYXPpEIFjfwciJI07lHw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="733" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlQapnbtEdPxLAfzv5nmumOQXeg8maKaeHdVLDpuLVn6H3g-oyld2xucyEUK3fHFhDXXNCCGO64RFxcV98JCIE8N3gJSMVevOGBHR7xFvZQv5YGi-VRMFflJ0TiZ_HDfEWl12MA38frdKSbgPuW78VqcjW7nLvv1-8m9pYXPpEIFjfwciJI07lHw=w315-h400" width="315" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.andrewgeorge.org.uk" target="_blank">Andrew George</a>, former MP for St Ives, writes:</b></div><p></p><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Conservative MPs voted against a bill to combat puppy smuggling and live farm animal exports again . </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Labour, with Liberal Democrat support attempted to reintroduce animal welfare legislation which had been dropped by the Cons, in contradiction to their manifesto promise.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The RSPCA’s head of public affairs, David Bowles, said: “It’s terrible news for animals and we are calling on the UK government to rethink and bring back all the proposals contained within the <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>binned bill back by other means. We cannot go on allowing cruel practices such as the live exports of animals for slaughter and the puppy import trade.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">We won't give up and will find other ways of passing laws to give animals the protection they need and deserve. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I hope you support too</div></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-70942683490723990402023-05-26T16:18:00.006+01:002023-05-26T16:21:53.852+01:00Neath Port Talbot cabinet post for local Liberal Democrat<p> The council includes the following in the <a href="https://www.npt.gov.uk/1410?pr_id=7231">media release</a> which followed Wednesday's AGM:</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-family: "GDS Transport", arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><i>the council’s Liberal Democrat and Green Group, led by Coedffranc West member Cllr Helen Ceri Clarke, became full members of the Rainbow Coalition having previously supported it on a confidence and supply basis.</i></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-family: "GDS Transport", arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Cllr Hunt said after the AGM: “I am humbled to have been given the leadership of the council for 2023/24 and our Rainbow Coalition welcomes the Liberal Democrat and Green Group as full members.</i></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-family: "GDS Transport", arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Cllr Cen Phillips takes over in the Cabinet from [Dyffryn Independent] Cllr Peters with a new title of Cabinet Member for Nature, Tourism and Wellbeing while existing Cabinet Member [Independent] Cllr Jeremy Hurley adopts the new title of Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Economic Growth.</i></p>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-58959294030409811722023-05-19T23:16:00.002+01:002023-05-19T23:16:48.726+01:00Our Carer’s Leave Bill has just passed its final stage in Parliament<p></p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_charcoal" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_padded" style="padding: 0px 20px;"><p style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;">The Bill will give an estimated 2.4 million carers across the UK a statutory right to take five days of unpaid leave per year, helping carers to better balance work and care.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />Introduced by Wendy Chamberlain MP, and steered through the House of Lords by Liberal Democrat Peer Lord Fox, the Carer’s Leave Bill has been described by the charity Carers UK as a ‘landmark’ piece of legislation.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" /><strong>This is a fantastic step forward in our continued campaigning to stand up for the rights of carers.</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_newsletter-article-grey-gold" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_charcoal x_padded" style="color: #151721; padding: 20px;"><p style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;"><em>“Unpaid carers are the backbone of our society. Yet far too many go without adequate support and struggle to balance caring responsibilities and work.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />My Carer’s Leave Bill is a first step to providing greater support. It will allow carers to take time off work to manage caring responsibilities. I hope that it will provide many people with the flexibility they need.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />I am also confident that the law will have benefits for employers too. Many businesses already provide a version of Carer’s Leave to their staff and report reduced recruitment costs, and improved retention and wellbeing.”</em></p><p align="right" style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;"><strong>- Wendy Chamberlain MP</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_newsletter-article-grey-gold" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_charcoal x_padded" style="color: #151721; padding: 20px;"><p style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;"><em>“I have had the privilege to hear first-hand from unpaid carers what a difference this Bill will make. I am proud to support it and hope that it will help millions of unpaid carers better balance work and care.”</em></p><p align="right" style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;"><strong>- Lord Fox</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_paragraph" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_charcoal" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #151721; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_padded" style="padding: 0px 20px;"><p style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;">You can join our campaign to Stand up for Carers by adding your name below.</p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_solo-button-gold" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 0px 20px;"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_button" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 560px;"><tbody><tr><td><a alt="I'll Stand up for Carers" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="1" href="https://links.liberal.democrat/u/click?_t=e5737551da80462ca46d0365530215a4&_m=1864bd1520fb436cae3f7bc2df7e493d&_e=dr3WVsUc8c0t1PfHizHRYHR35EfXv2h0k3WDo76N5WMlOODYoIMoiFfaoXmoTpgbYdaoNCaHYxANTcmph1mvY-GCuWr2I0ItNIa3K0K_Tv64SpDi745f1wV_8A97ViByk8sWVcUxjt0xB6W8pcvihAv_3O_vMG5m5Ew11KYxa2RlDL9d4crcUWAD-Z2n3to4xp2VWuFsh8vcR_71RkXygmBB-hRYS7i4eCpTBmqEbu0%3D" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-radius: 4px; border: 0px; color: #151721; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 1.3rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 50px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">I'll Stand up for Carers ➜</a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><br aria-hidden="true" /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_signature" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_signature" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_padded" style="padding: 0px 50px 10px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_charcoal" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #151721; font: inherit;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_profile" style="padding-right: 30px;"><img alt="Liberal Democrats" data-imagetype="External" src="https://images.liberal.democrat/core/logo-square@2x.png" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="120" /></td><td class="x_name" style="line-height: 22.5px;" width="375"><p style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;"><br aria-hidden="true" />With best wishes,<br aria-hidden="true" /><strong>Liberal Democrats</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-25172871775975392512023-05-18T15:52:00.001+01:002023-05-20T07:55:38.223+01:00Ed Davey: the man behind the politician<p> An interview by Zoe Williams, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/may/16/we-didnt-show-we-cared-enough-we-wont-make-that-mistake-twice-ed-davey-on-love-loss-and-the-lib-dems?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other" target="_blank">published in the Guardian</a>, reveals the personal side of Ed Davey. The article details the many trials and tribulations Ed and his wife Emily have had to overcome in their political careers. There are political insights:</p><p><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #121212; font-family: GuardianTextEgyptian, "Guardian Text Egyptian Web", Georgia, serif; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures;">They have a good ground game, the Lib Dems, and they’re scrappy: even accounting for the way all parties manage expectations before local elections, they sailed way over their targets. “Our central scenario was about 250 [councillors] in five councils; we ended up with over 400 in 12 councils. So we’re pretty happy,” he says. They made 704 gains in the </span><a data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/03/liberal-democrats-vince-cable-fight-back-as-tory-strongholds-taken-in-local-election" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #c70000; font-family: GuardianTextEgyptian, "Guardian Text Egyptian Web", Georgia, serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="">2019 local elections</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #121212; font-family: GuardianTextEgyptian, "Guardian Text Egyptian Web", Georgia, serif; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures;">, so this is shaping up into a solid recovery after the party’s post-coalition doldrums. “Because the next election is all about getting rid of the Tories …” he begins, and maybe I smirk a bit because he stops – he’s the last man standing of the Lib Dems who served in the coalition cabinet, so fierce anti-Tory rhetoric is still faintly incongruent – “… that is exactly my mission.” Will this party ever enable another Conservative government? “This is really important: we will not put the Conservatives back into government or do any deal with them. What. So. Ever. Personally, I’ve fought them all my life: I fought them in government, I’m fighting them now. They’re beyond the pale, as far as I’m concerned.”</span></i></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #121212; font-family: GuardianTextEgyptian, "Guardian Text Egyptian Web", Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures;"><br /></span></p>Of his time in government, working with Conservatives:<div><br /></div><div><p class="dcr-n6w1lc" style="--source-text-decoration-thickness: 2px; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #121212; font-family: GuardianTextEgyptian, "Guardian Text Egyptian Web", Georgia, serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word;"><i>“I didn’t trust them an inch. I didn’t trust George Osborne an inch. We didn’t tell people how much we were fighting the Tories, that was by design, from Nick [Clegg]. He wanted to show that coalitions work. I argued that we should show the bit of the Liberals that’s anti-establishment, that’s reformist, that’s internationalist. But he was the leader. We served at his pleasure.”</i></p><p class="dcr-n6w1lc" style="--source-text-decoration-thickness: 2px; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #121212; font-family: GuardianTextEgyptian, "Guardian Text Egyptian Web", Georgia, serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word;"><i>He names a few big wins over the Conservatives from those years: the <a data-component="auto-linked-tag" data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.libdems.org.uk" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #c70000; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Liberal Democrats</a> successfully locked in the government’s offshore wind contracts, so Osborne couldn’t rescind them after 2015, as he tried to; they stopped the Tories freezing benefits when inflation was running at 5%. “I believe in our environmental stuff, I believe in our political reform, I believe in our internationalism, I believe in civil liberties, I believe in our support for public services, I believe we’re caring, that’s who we are. And we weren’t showing it enough. We’re not going to make that mistake twice.”</i></p><p class="dcr-n6w1lc" style="--source-text-decoration-thickness: 2px; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #121212; font-family: GuardianTextEgyptian, "Guardian Text Egyptian Web", Georgia, serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 1.0625rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word;"><br /></p></div>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-41732094919957515832023-05-08T09:27:00.000+01:002023-05-08T09:27:31.410+01:00England local council elections: an incredible set of results<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_charcoal" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(21, 23, 33) !important; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_padded" style="padding: 0px 20px;"><p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;">Over 1000 councillors elected, major gains and 20% of the national vote - our highest vote share in a decade.<br /></p></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_heading-main" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_gold" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(250, 166, 26) !important; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="x_padded" style="padding: 0px 20px;"><h2 style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.75rem; line-height: 37.8px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px;">GAINED<span class="x_navy" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(7, 47, 95) !important; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> control of 12 Councils</span></h2></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_paragraph" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_charcoal" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(21, 23, 33) !important; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="x_padded" style="padding: 0px 20px;"><p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;"><strong>Including:</strong> Chichester, Dacorum, Guildford, Horsham, Mid Devon, South Hams, South Oxfordshire, Stratford on Avon, Surrey Heath, Teignbridge, West Berkshire & Windsor and Maidenhead</p></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_heading-main" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_gold" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(250, 166, 26) !important; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="x_padded" style="padding: 0px 20px;"><h2 style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.75rem; line-height: 37.8px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px;">HELD<span class="x_navy" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(7, 47, 95) !important; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> control of 15 Councils</span></h2></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_paragraph" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_charcoal" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(21, 23, 33) !important; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="x_padded" style="padding: 0px 20px;"><p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;"><strong>Including:</strong> Bath & North East Somerset, Chelmsford, Cotswold, Eastbourne, Eastleigh, Hinckley & Bosworth, Kingston upon Hull, Mole Valley, North Devon, North Norfolk, Oadby & Wigston, St Albans, Three Rivers, Vale of White Horse, Watford, Winchester & Woking</p></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_heading-main" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_gold" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(250, 166, 26) !important; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="x_padded" style="padding: 0px 20px;"><h2 style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.75rem; line-height: 37.8px; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px;">GAINED<span class="x_navy" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(7, 47, 95) !important; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> over 400 Councillors</span></h2></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_paragraph" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_charcoal" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(21, 23, 33) !important; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="x_padded" style="padding: 0px 20px;"><p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;"><strong><br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />We’ve increased our councillor numbers in countless areas, including:</strong><br aria-hidden="true" /><span style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">East Riding of Yorkshire (+14), Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (+13), East Devon (+10), Wealden (+9), East Suffolk (+8), Rutland (+8), Tewkesbury (+8), Central Bedfordshire (+7), Lewes (+7), Bracknell Forest (+6), Elmbridge (+6), Herefordshire (+6), Hertsmere (+6), Liverpool (+6), Maldon (+6), Welwyn Hatfield (+6), West Lindsey (+6), Test Valley (+5), Wealdon (+5), East Hertfordshire (+4), Newcastle upon Tyne (+4), Torridge (+4), Blaby (+3), Brentwood (+3), Rochford (+3), South Gloucestershire (+3), North Hertfordshire (+3), Luton (+3), Slough (+3), South Gloucestershire (+3), Torbay (+3) & Wokingham (+3)</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><br aria-hidden="true" /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_heading-main" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_paragraph" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_paragraph" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_charcoal" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: rgb(21, 23, 33) !important; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_padded" style="padding: 0px 20px;"><ul style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><li style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;"><strong>Among our gained councils is Surrey Heath</strong>, where we have taken control from the Conservatives in <b>Michael Gove’s</b> back garden. Senior Conservative cabinet ministers will now be looking nervously over their shoulders.</li><li style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;"><strong>Another key target where we have done well is Elmbridge</strong>, which contains <b>Dominic Raab’s</b> Esher and Walton seat. We have gained 6 councillors here, taking 4 from the Conservatives, and are now the largest party.</li><li style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;">It’s clear that sleaze and scandal surrounding Conservative Ministers over recent months has had a profound impact. <strong>Nadhim Zahawi is experiencing a Shakespearean Tragedy in Stratford on Avon</strong> as his seat is now controlled by the Lib Dems after we gained 15 seats and took control.</li><li style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;">Just a few weeks ago we launched the English Local Election campaign in <strong>Dacorum in Hertfordshire</strong>, where Ed Davey foreshadowed today’s results by toppling a Blue Wall of hay bales in a tractor. <strong>This May we took control of the council here</strong> - the first time Liberal Democrats have run the council since its creation.</li><li style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;">Following our stunning victory in Tiverton & Honiton last year, <strong>we’ve had a great result in Devon in these elections</strong>. We gained Mid Devon and Teignbridge, held North Devon, and made a total of 52 gains across the county.</li><li style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;">After we made gains in Hull overnight to keep control of the council, <strong>we’ve also won seats from Labour in Liverpool</strong> - gaining 6 seats from Labour as they lost 9.</li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_newsletter-article-white-gold" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-20799531396634906402023-05-05T09:03:00.001+01:002023-05-05T09:03:36.699+01:00Council gains in England "way above expectation"<p> The Guardian reports:</p><aside class="dcr-1rbr3jc" data-gu-name="meta" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #121212; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; grid-area: meta / meta / meta / meta; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="dcr-14emo0l" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 620px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class=" dcr-c7ke56" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="dcr-rnfrqq" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 2px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="dcr-9dgpdq" data-print-layout="hide" style="-webkit-box-pack: justify; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; font: inherit; justify-content: space-between; margin: 0px 0px 6px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class=" dcr-2zv6" style="-webkit-box-flex: 1; -webkit-box-pack: start; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-grow: 1; font: inherit; justify-content: flex-start; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div></div></div></div></aside><div class="dcr-ch7w1w" data-gu-name="body" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #121212; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; grid-area: body / body / body / body; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 5;"><div class="dcr-16guhjf" style="-webkit-box-flex: 1; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; flex-grow: 1; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 620px; z-index: 1;"><div class="dcr-1ncmr12" id="maincontent" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-18i1c38" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="dcr-n6w1lc" style="--source-text-decoration-thickness: 2px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: GuardianTextEgyptian, "Guardian Text Egyptian Web", Georgia, serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 1.0625rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word;"><i>Ed Davey has hailed what he called “ground-breaking results” for the <a data-component="auto-linked-tag" data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/liberaldemocrats" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #c70000; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Liberal Democrats</a> in local elections, as party activists predicted they were on track to oust large number of Conservative MPs in so-called “blue wall” seats.</i></p><p class="dcr-n6w1lc" style="--source-text-decoration-thickness: 2px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: GuardianTextEgyptian, "Guardian Text Egyptian Web", Georgia, serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 1.0625rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word;"><i>In early results, the Lib Dems defeated the <a data-component="auto-linked-tag" data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/conservatives" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #c70000; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Conservatives</a> to win control of Windsor and Maidenhead council, Theresa May’s home territory.</i></p><div id="sign-in-gate" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><gu-island clientonly="" data-gu-ready="true" name="SignInGateSelector" props="{"format":{"display":0,"theme":0,"design":0},"contentType":"Article","sectionName":"politics","tags":[{"id":"politics/liberaldemocrats","type":"Keyword","title":"Liberal Democrats"},{"id":"politics/local-elections","type":"Keyword","title":"Local elections"},{"id":"society/localgovernment","type":"Keyword","title":"Local government"},{"id":"politics/localgovernment","type":"Keyword","title":"Local politics"},{"id":"politics/politics","type":"Keyword","title":"Politics"},{"id":"uk/uk","type":"Keyword","title":"UK news"},{"id":"campaign/email/today-uk","type":"Campaign","title":"The Guardian Headlines UK (newsletter signup)"},{"id":"politics/conservatives","type":"Keyword","title":"Conservatives"},{"id":"politics/labour","type":"Keyword","title":"Labour"},{"id":"type/article","type":"Type","title":"Article"},{"id":"tone/news","type":"Tone","title":"News"},{"id":"profile/peterwalker","type":"Contributor","title":"Peter Walker","twitterHandle":"peterwalker99","bylineImageUrl":"https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/contributor/2007/09/28/peter_walker_140x140.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=99b0ad052fa1cddc8c72149e765880ca"},{"id":"tracking/commissioningdesk/uk-home-news","type":"Tracking","title":"UK Home News"}],"isPaidContent":false,"isPreview":false,"host":"https://www.theguardian.com","pageId":"politics/2023/may/05/lib-dem-leader-hails-groundbreaking-results-in-english-local-elections","idUrl":"https://profile.theguardian.com"}" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></gu-island></i></div><p class="dcr-n6w1lc" style="--source-text-decoration-thickness: 2px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: GuardianTextEgyptian, "Guardian Text Egyptian Web", Georgia, serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 1.0625rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word;"><i>Across England the party had gained nearly 60 seats, with the bulk of the Lib Dems’ target areas still to count, and maintained control of seven other councils.</i></p><p class="dcr-n6w1lc" style="--source-text-decoration-thickness: 2px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: GuardianTextEgyptian, "Guardian Text Egyptian Web", Georgia, serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 1.0625rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word;"><i>“These are groundbreaking results for the Liberal Democrats, far exceeding the expectations,” Davey, the Lib Dem leader, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “We’ve been beating Conservatives, and I think it’s going to get worse.”</i></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; justify-content: center; line-height: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><div class="ad-slot-container " style="-webkit-box-pack: center; background-color: #f6f6f6; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; justify-content: center; line-height: inherit; margin: 12px auto; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></i></span></span><p class="dcr-n6w1lc" style="--source-text-decoration-thickness: 2px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: GuardianTextEgyptian, "Guardian Text Egyptian Web", Georgia, serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 1.0625rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word;"><i>Lib Dem campaigners had anticipated a reasonable number of gains before the vote, but emphasised the context that the last time these seats were contested, in 2019, the party won more than 700 councillors against the Conservatives under Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn’s <a data-component="auto-linked-tag" data-link-name="in body link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/labour" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #c70000; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Labour</a>.</i></p><p class="dcr-n6w1lc" style="--source-text-decoration-thickness: 2px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: GuardianTextEgyptian, "Guardian Text Egyptian Web", Georgia, serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 1.0625rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word;"><i>On Friday morning, Lib Dem officials said the party had performed “way above expectations” and seemed set to win a swathe of seats and councils in blue wall seats, mainly affluent, commuter belt areas where the Conservatives have traditionally dominated.</i></p><p class="dcr-n6w1lc" style="--source-text-decoration-thickness: 2px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: GuardianTextEgyptian, "Guardian Text Egyptian Web", Georgia, serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 1.0625rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: break-word;">See also <a href="https://www.markpack.org.uk/170985/local-elections-2023-the-results-start-to-come-in/" target="_blank">Mark Pack's rolling news</a>.</p></div></div></div></div>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-51045782588068862412023-04-08T18:28:00.002+01:002023-04-08T18:28:50.826+01:00Flying start to 2023<p> [Data from ALDC}</p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #242424; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="x_mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="x_mcnTextBlockInner" style="padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_mcnTextContent" style="color: #5f574f; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 18px 9px; word-break: break-word;" valign="top"><br aria-hidden="true" />In total 38 principal council by-elections were contested in the first quarter of 2023. The Lib Dems are net up by 5 seats, while the Conservatives are down by 9 councillors.</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_mcnImageBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #242424; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="x_mcnImageBlockOuter"><tr><td class="x_mcnImageBlockInner" style="padding: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_mcnImageContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_mcnImageContent" style="padding: 0px 9px; text-align: center;" valign="top"><img align="center" alt="" class="x_mcnImage" data-imagetype="External" src="https://mcusercontent.com/1961e638191c24b41d1651e91/images/e79befb7-37c0-52d0-e2af-0addf1d344f0.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; display: inline !important; font: inherit; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 2236px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" width="564" /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #242424; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="x_mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="x_mcnTextBlockInner" style="padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-49709176329788495802023-04-01T07:26:00.000+01:002023-04-01T07:26:10.925+01:00The New Green Liberal Democrat Executive<p><strong style="background-color: white; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Green Liberal Democrats elected their new executive committee at Lib Dem Spring Federal Conference in York last weekend.</strong></p><p><span style="color: #faa61a; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 1.75em; font-weight: bold; text-transform: uppercase;">EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE</span></p><p style="font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.75em; margin: 1em 0px;">Chair: <a href="https://greenlibdems.org.uk/en/contact/keith-melton" style="color: #21aa5f; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;">Keith Melton</a><br />Honorary Treasurer: <a href="http://greenlibdems.org.uk/en/contact/jordan-summers" style="color: #21aa5f; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;">Jordan Summers</a><br />Vice Chair Policy: <a href="http://greenlibdems.org.uk/en/contact/kevin-langford" style="color: #21aa5f; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;">Kevin Langford</a><br />Vice Chair Organisation: <a href="http://greenlibdems.org.uk/en/contact/anne-robson" style="color: #21aa5f; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;">Anne Robson</a><br />Vice Chair Communications: <strong><a href="http://greenlibdems.org.uk/en/contact/jules-ewart" style="color: #21aa5f; text-decoration-line: none;">Jules Ewart</a> & <a href="http://greenlibdems.org.uk/en/contact/george-miles" style="color: #21aa5f; text-decoration-line: none;">George Miles</a></strong><br />Vice Chair Campaigns: <a href="http://greenlibdems.org.uk/en/contact/jed-marson" style="color: #21aa5f; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;">Jed Marson</a><br />Youth Officer: <strong>VACANT</strong></p><p style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.75em; margin: 1em 0px;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.75em; margin: 1em 0px;"><b>Local party secretary Frank Little writes:</b></p><p style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.75em; margin: 1em 0px;">It is sadly typical of our times that no younger person has come forward to work to further the development of the organisation. </p><p style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.75em; margin: 1em 0px;"><br /></p>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-55271476538855417192023-03-31T23:30:00.006+01:002023-04-01T07:31:46.757+01:00Tory MPs vote for 15 more years of sewage dumping<p> <br /></p><div class="sub-block" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><section class="grid-main gap-y-24"><div class="col-span-6 sm:col-span-10 sm:col-start-2 xl:col-span-8 xl:col-start-3" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="rte rte-a md:rte-b xl:rte-c" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="line-height: 1.75em; margin: 1em 0px;"><img alt="" height="717" src="https://www.libdems.org.uk/fileadmin/_processed_/7/b/csm_header_sewage_cd77de52be.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto !important; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;" title="" width="1079" />New regulations passed by Conservative MPs will allow water companies to continue dumping sewage into our rivers and seas for another 15 years.</p><p style="line-height: 1.75em; margin: 1em 0px;">In the last two years water companies in England <strong>dumped raw sewage 775,568 times</strong> lasting 5,768,679 hours.</p><p style="line-height: 1.75em; margin: 1em 0px;">The new legislation set a target of an 80% reduction in phosphates in rivers by 2038. Phosphates are naturally occurring minerals found in human waste and can lead to a dramatic growth in algae and deplete oxygen levels when they are dumped in rivers.</p><p style="line-height: 1.75em; margin: 1em 0px;"><strong>This is a pathetic target which allows water companies to get away with a staggering 15 more years of shameful sewage dumping.</strong> This is a betrayal of the British public who rightly want tougher action against water companies.</p></div></div></section></div><div class="sub-block" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><section class="grid-main gap-y-4"><figure class="col-span-5 sm:col-span-10 sm:col-start-2 md:col-span-8 md:col-start-3"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" style="border-left: 5px solid rgb(32, 33, 34); font-style: italic; padding-left: 1.25em;"><p dir="ltr" lang="en" style="line-height: 1.75em; margin: 1em 0px;" xml:lang="en">Why on earth would you do this? <a href="https://t.co/0F2bfDzaXw" style="color: #21aa5f; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;">https://t.co/0F2bfDzaXw</a></p>- Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker) <a href="https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1618618853516513281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" style="color: #21aa5f; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;">January 26, 2023</a></blockquote></figure></section></div><div class="sub-block" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><section class="grid-main gap-y-24"><div class="col-span-6 sm:col-span-10 sm:col-start-2 xl:col-span-8 xl:col-start-3" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="rte rte-a md:rte-b xl:rte-c" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="line-height: 1.75em; margin: 1em 0px;">The water companies that are responsible for dumping sewage into our rivers, lakes and coastal waters every day, now have 15 years to clean up their act. Meanwhile their top execs have paid themselves £51 million, including £30.6 million in bonuses over the last two years.</p><p style="line-height: 1.75em; margin: 1em 0px;">Conservative MPs should be ashamed of themselves. It will be swimmers and treasured wildlife which pay the price for the flimsy target. Water company execs will be cheering this through parliament.</p><p style="line-height: 1.75em; margin: 1em 0px;">Liberal Democrats proudly voted against these unacceptably weak targets.</p></div></div></section></div>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-31207713205886087232023-03-08T07:16:00.000+00:002023-04-01T07:50:32.914+01:00Happy International Women's Day to all women across Wales!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9CmkCJtXPG_ldCbsy5GPc_BFT37EkgybxqrF1Ls6xRI94n8PdVkcazGnjvj3wfEE54KzqMsnHCDHZe6SSLpwm4pHwvh9wCY_2u7nkAc3AuT4ucSfSWMwkGHDAfzj2j50PeEOp_yoFcZoC3wpj3hfaGEfUw5Xu3u7Of_ViEDzOaM5Y2OdScpY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="798" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9CmkCJtXPG_ldCbsy5GPc_BFT37EkgybxqrF1Ls6xRI94n8PdVkcazGnjvj3wfEE54KzqMsnHCDHZe6SSLpwm4pHwvh9wCY_2u7nkAc3AuT4ucSfSWMwkGHDAfzj2j50PeEOp_yoFcZoC3wpj3hfaGEfUw5Xu3u7Of_ViEDzOaM5Y2OdScpY=w400-h386" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><br /><p></p>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-64664520075580824402023-03-03T07:44:00.000+00:002023-03-03T07:44:15.726+00:00Let down by Labour/Plaid cooperation<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The current emergency in our A&E departments is directly linked to a failure to reform social care.</span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Reforming social care was a key promise of the Labour and Plaid Cymru Co-operation Agreement, yet things appear to be worse than ever.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">We need action now.</div></div>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-13074941406439920882023-02-27T18:02:00.001+00:002023-02-28T15:04:50.744+00:00 Save families in Neath and Port Talbot from £500 energy bill rise in April<p><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Aberavon and Neath <span style="color: #151721;">Liberal Democrats</span></strong><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #151721; font-family: "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> demand that the Government cancel plans to hike the average household energy bill by £500 in April, and bring in a tax on the “bonanza bonuses” of oil and gas bosses.</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #151721; font-family: "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 16px;">The party is calling for cuts to people's bills instead, combined with a new energy support package for businesses and essential public facilities,</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #151721; font-family: "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 16px;">In April the Conservatives are planning to hike the energy price guarantee by £500. </p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 16px;"><span style="color: #151721;">The Liberal Democrats' plans would mean that in Neath Port Talbot </span><span style="color: #151721;">the average household would be £410.64 </span><span style="color: #151721;">better off. In total, Neath Port Talbot </span><span style="color: #151721;">would save a huge £26,202,586.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 16px;"><span style="color: #151721;">Local Lib Dems see new price hikes now as a “hammer blow” to families and businesses already struggling and that action is needed now to save people from a “cost of living cliff-edge.”</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #151721; font-family: "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 16px;">Nationally, the Liberal Democrats have set out their plan to tackle the energy crisis including: </p><p aria-level="1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #151721; font-family: "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 16px;">1. A windfall tax on oil and gas companies to raise billions of pounds</p><p aria-level="1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #151721; font-family: "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 16px;">2. A cancellation of the Governments £500 energy bill rise in April </p><p aria-level="1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #151721; font-family: "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 16px;">3. A one-off bonus tax on oil and gas executives</p><p aria-level="1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #151721; font-family: "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 16px;">4. Doubling the Warm Homes Discount to £300.</p><p aria-level="1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #151721; font-family: "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 16px;">5. A U-turn on plans to slash energy bill support for businesses, leisure centres, schools and hospitals by 85%, and instead extend current levels of support for another six months.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #151721; font-family: "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 16px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey added:</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #151721; font-family: "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 16px;">“Rishi Sunak must act now to save families from a cost-of-living cliff edge, by cutting energy bills instead of increasing them. People deserve a fair deal - with a large cut to their energy bills, paid for by a proper windfall tax and a one-off levy on the bonuses of oil and gas bosses.”</p>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-72662331063380090912023-02-24T06:24:00.004+00:002023-02-24T06:24:42.900+00:00A year on, our unequivocal support continues<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpY3Ok5Q-erix76-zofO2NGIx31MhwZUsX3tQvplGVgHzKGry3X6nErc9qycIwIuVp8l39IJ58-e0XEPf7yVqdlF34IFVkiqMYQ3lydmdMwsB2ruFVT1pegLyF3AdXfYjIvPupZqRC5jMXyNZuScj40EvTcrUjtPIiRbuP7wjWWloOuyDI2pA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="811" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpY3Ok5Q-erix76-zofO2NGIx31MhwZUsX3tQvplGVgHzKGry3X6nErc9qycIwIuVp8l39IJ58-e0XEPf7yVqdlF34IFVkiqMYQ3lydmdMwsB2ruFVT1pegLyF3AdXfYjIvPupZqRC5jMXyNZuScj40EvTcrUjtPIiRbuP7wjWWloOuyDI2pA=w400-h368" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-60627015533119639002023-02-01T19:56:00.001+00:002023-02-01T19:56:39.305+00:00Lib Dems in parliament force government retreat on sewage<p> This message came through tonight from Richard Foord, our MP for Tiverton:</p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_paragraph" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_charcoal" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #151721; font: inherit; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_padded" style="padding: 0px 20px;"><p style="font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 25.92px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px;"><strong>Frank, after nearly 18 months of campaigning at every level across our party, we Liberal Democrats have finally worn down the Government on sewage.</strong><br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />I have just tabled an amendment to the UK Infrastructure Bank Bill, which has just been passed in the House of Commons, with the Government standing down their opposition to our campaign.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />The amendment ensures that the Government’s new Infrastructure Bank will not invest in water companies unless they produce a costed and time-limited plan to end sewage discharges into local rivers.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />The prospect of taxpayers' funds going to water companies who are paying their executives millions of pounds in bonuses, while permitting prolific sewage discharges is scandalous.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" /><strong>Together, we have stopped this from happening.</strong><br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />This is a victory for millions of people across the country who have voiced their outrage at water companies being allowed to get away with polluting rivers, lakes and coastlines. As the only political party tackling this issue, the Liberal Democrats have been their voice on this environmental scandal and we will continue to champion their cause.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" /><strong>This has truly been a victory for our entire party.</strong> From grassroots activists protesting on beaches and at riversides to local campaigners, councillors, MPs and Peers tackling this matter on every level of Government. Our Parliamentary staff and advisers have worked tirelessly to produce damning research and get this amendment passed, and our Media and Digital teams have made sure our story hit the headlines and our social media campaigns are seen by millions of people across the country.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" /><strong>We have proved that when we work together, we can win together.</strong><br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />However, there is still a long way to go. The Government is still refusing to ban sewage discharges into swimming water and areas where protected wildlife live. And they are still refusing to ban water company CEO's rewarding themselves with bonuses whilst this environmental scandal happens.<br aria-hidden="true" /><br aria-hidden="true" />Will you join our campaign to Stop Sewage Dumping today, and help us continue to fight for what we know is right?</p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_solo-button-gold" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: #151721; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="x_outer" style="padding-bottom: 20px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 0px 20px;"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="x_button" role="presentation" style="border-collapse: collapse; font: inherit; width: 560px;"><tbody><tr><td><a alt="Back our campaign" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="1" href="https://links.liberal.democrat/u/click?_t=e5737551da80462ca46d0365530215a4&_m=0a96fca1e99b48a7b0424b4e201cb7bf&_e=aWiSGJvv-9OmKamyontrrcWlfUYV7hQQ8_C_fk88zmqXy_bmgU16lVoXvDP1zCfm7Xqwv7yEua4daLG4T45kre-JicgK3tIImDu8r9VBWKFEQwq1el2QN-UnIxOC5GE2Q-oOCudOMN2pxzvkncJbg4b_Hg2EHith81CX59yVv8U-a-EEIAcD9VqbE3xm8M8CPWqpfNGcMtdwGSTOLs40vGXJOaVx6Rz8MKogEuhCW9I%3D" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-radius: 4px; border: 0px; color: #151721; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.3rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 50px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Back our Campaign ➜</a><br /><br /><br />A further example of the value of Liberal Democrat representation at Westminster.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-83758888350819280942023-01-25T14:21:00.002+00:002023-01-25T14:21:46.519+00:00Lost £4.3 bn, recovered only a fraction<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8LtPnDh7yEwkIEOZtWQUHRpPiH2mvx8uHRXuA8CpYZzXeW5YMOBoC9kvAZ2q9A5dqArNGok3zPfvU5pqOuPKnZasg09IIiGWq36xjGHilJK1lcrnI3W2fm8HdrN9tLW4AyAGtyZbWhgIXx6HDGPYcLQFDKB5Jxab1H5-vgVhm4z8z0tunYXg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="597" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8LtPnDh7yEwkIEOZtWQUHRpPiH2mvx8uHRXuA8CpYZzXeW5YMOBoC9kvAZ2q9A5dqArNGok3zPfvU5pqOuPKnZasg09IIiGWq36xjGHilJK1lcrnI3W2fm8HdrN9tLW4AyAGtyZbWhgIXx6HDGPYcLQFDKB5Jxab1H5-vgVhm4z8z0tunYXg" width="241" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;">By the end of last year, the authorities had recovered <a href="https://www.pressreader.com/uk/daily-mail/20221229/281754158397889">only £18m</a> of the money lost over fraudulent PPE contracts.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-57118045743008739752023-01-23T19:09:00.003+00:002023-01-23T19:09:50.045+00:00Ambulance targets in Wales are not being met<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjL1lC2ewxTbaphqNXS-_BpyVLVcnhAdAYZM5T7PBTHOpniy54sH8yo0LFj12luTE0EVq9QfwoDbBO9-VJbWrT0bo3n__1fIyES-N-8K6BlQ2NKBObbBG7zNnaBbebY6dssw0vRxZh2GKpi98NH6qEWYvnFTo2pgMZmjJxmLRmJl44TduDL9Rw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="636" height="529" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjL1lC2ewxTbaphqNXS-_BpyVLVcnhAdAYZM5T7PBTHOpniy54sH8yo0LFj12luTE0EVq9QfwoDbBO9-VJbWrT0bo3n__1fIyES-N-8K6BlQ2NKBObbBG7zNnaBbebY6dssw0vRxZh2GKpi98NH6qEWYvnFTo2pgMZmjJxmLRmJl44TduDL9Rw=w563-h529" width="563" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sign <a href="https://www.welshlibdems.wales/fivepointplan" target="_blank">here</a> to back our five-point plan to solve ambulance waiting times in Wales:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div></div><p><br /></p>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-74931217594049721562023-01-19T15:43:00.001+00:002023-01-23T19:16:40.246+00:00Today's GIG stats painting a pretty abysmal picture<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhumbPicJ7ZUF7kMWNVe1pkwal498HT0hQNmfjoVm95t_-EZ3oex5300FIsoxK4xOR98x-SKSNGh5DZIx0bWav-E7tMgSf68GbAHrM1MsPQMOo2naxZE8XQSXpv3hSUq4AKsPx-K-nexk-LpSQv6lC6rD2iQqAiH2cnKQuu6ZnZpwiOsNZNihw" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="776" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhumbPicJ7ZUF7kMWNVe1pkwal498HT0hQNmfjoVm95t_-EZ3oex5300FIsoxK4xOR98x-SKSNGh5DZIx0bWav-E7tMgSf68GbAHrM1MsPQMOo2naxZE8XQSXpv3hSUq4AKsPx-K-nexk-LpSQv6lC6rD2iQqAiH2cnKQuu6ZnZpwiOsNZNihw" width="216" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZ7VlCR1cu2C1_5n3WI0swfXnSumcQ0NIp7r8GikOWCz4_nDVlD_5r556E-BfiHfUsfauhklqyq2pVw9A8QuALHdUwVWfFKdhq5O5MEYs7uGcUfrTS2eufyPw-nwbnWNUO6URXdyfKrzIQCdGJHBsFqLUySo_urXHDea9jmg5rv25pr34uxJ8" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="785" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZ7VlCR1cu2C1_5n3WI0swfXnSumcQ0NIp7r8GikOWCz4_nDVlD_5r556E-BfiHfUsfauhklqyq2pVw9A8QuALHdUwVWfFKdhq5O5MEYs7uGcUfrTS2eufyPw-nwbnWNUO6URXdyfKrzIQCdGJHBsFqLUySo_urXHDea9jmg5rv25pr34uxJ8" width="218" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbJKlkT0an5QXvva174BNwlqBv_frulFtORQXSYXW65GTNwojHeToDcG8Kg8AOVc77zzLzX_TJo9wMvxgVdKrMLCft6i30mekuKmG8MvswTBFNuxzuicWvWRdAZYtZaQ7gPYg3xOHMgv806Um4Y1xGLPBRTaq3puuX8nhTJn53wbrQ-j5mXTQ" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><br /><br /><img alt="" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="812" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbJKlkT0an5QXvva174BNwlqBv_frulFtORQXSYXW65GTNwojHeToDcG8Kg8AOVc77zzLzX_TJo9wMvxgVdKrMLCft6i30mekuKmG8MvswTBFNuxzuicWvWRdAZYtZaQ7gPYg3xOHMgv806Um4Y1xGLPBRTaq3puuX8nhTJn53wbrQ-j5mXTQ" width="260" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29958311.post-63957350079711063592023-01-16T10:10:00.003+00:002023-01-16T10:10:49.646+00:00UK by-election review of 2022<p> Thanks to ALDC for these infographics</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIbopeFQeauYTkHHywlBGqOGHAwn6dig-eF-cmgW9TN06Zc3MFN3a9xMxPQdbYN9hUHwwlKNXLAV7jOtqksfyyOCIgYnBkTsRFQJqi6iS4hlLPJhRB9Cs6qfLUF1j_yoVx4xs5fPADsCsUmo8bxQ5wEJKIKVVFQ09kRnuQqFB2YkTyrhhlbqk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="865" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIbopeFQeauYTkHHywlBGqOGHAwn6dig-eF-cmgW9TN06Zc3MFN3a9xMxPQdbYN9hUHwwlKNXLAV7jOtqksfyyOCIgYnBkTsRFQJqi6iS4hlLPJhRB9Cs6qfLUF1j_yoVx4xs5fPADsCsUmo8bxQ5wEJKIKVVFQ09kRnuQqFB2YkTyrhhlbqk=w640-h368" width="640" /></a></div><p>(NB: the net figures conceal a few Conservative gains from Labour.)</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhs9fsw_74jAdHYyfAJq-kkDjg_TYQxQg6-3wwTJ4LcXJvEUp5QmjXk4u_PVYJEnkf6qtEWfirHkRNByJUFFRvQkX4VMIJMDHmNIUw52qeHvG_JsxmEUNpCiisx_p0ZX7nhRbytmJPKdKWLEblR7ySUBb-L6h2VFylmMo4JshsuZd03GjfAwSo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="859" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhs9fsw_74jAdHYyfAJq-kkDjg_TYQxQg6-3wwTJ4LcXJvEUp5QmjXk4u_PVYJEnkf6qtEWfirHkRNByJUFFRvQkX4VMIJMDHmNIUw52qeHvG_JsxmEUNpCiisx_p0ZX7nhRbytmJPKdKWLEblR7ySUBb-L6h2VFylmMo4JshsuZd03GjfAwSo=w640-h304" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><br /><p></p>Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democratshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12744060533288571298noreply@blogger.com0