TUC General Secretary to meet with cross-party leaders to set out Brexit concerns

The TUC’s General Secretary has accepted an invitation to speak to a group of cross-party opposition leaders about the TUC’s position on Brexit.    Frances O’Grady will meet with the Westminster leaders of the Liberal Democrats, SNP, Plaid Cymru and the Green Party to discuss the need for a Brexit that protects workers’ rights, jobs and livelihoods of millions of people across the UK.    The General Secretary will also set out why the TUC believes that single market membership and customs union should be on the table for the next phase of Brexit negotiations.    The meeting is set to take place in Westminster on Tuesday morning.    The Westminster opposition leaders have welcomed the meeting with the TUC, which has been at the forefront in campaigning against the dangers of a hard Brexit, protecting workers’ rights and guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens working in the UK.    The TUC has launched a campaign putting pressure on Theresa May to protect the Working Time Directive – which safeguards the rights of more than 7 million workers to paid holidays, breaks and working hours. Opposition parties have repeatedly raised concerns of the dangers of a hard Brexit and stated that securing continued single market and customs union access must be a priority for the UK government in order to protect the UK’s economy, labour market and businesses. The UK government’s leaked economic analysis revealed that under the three likely scenarios of the Brexit negotiations, remaining in the single market and customs union is the least damaging option.  At the TUC’s annual congress in September last year, Frances O’Grady said that the best current option for working people in the face of Brexit is “staying in the single market and customs union”.    Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable MP, said: “The TUC has been an effective and welcome voice in challenging the Conservatives’ attempts to leave the Single Market and the Customs Union. I look forward to seeing Frances this week.  “There is a growing strength in the movement to avert the worst possible form of Brexit. Membership of the Single Market and the Customs Union is vital to protect jobs, the Good Friday Agreement and Britain’s future prosperity.”  SNP Westminster Leader, Ian Blackford MP, said:    “I am delighted that the TUC’s General Secretary, Frances O’Grady, has agreed to meet with cross-party opposition leaders to discuss the serious concerns that Brexit will have on workers’ and citizens’ rights, jobs and livelihoods of millions of people.    “Time is running out for Theresa May to heed her government’s own economic analysis warning of the economic dangers of Brexit, opposition party’s consistent calls to remain in the single market and customs union, and organisations – like the TUC – concerns on safeguarding the rights of millions of workers.”  Plaid Cymru’s leader in Westminster, Liz Saville Roberts MP, said: "Tearing apart our economic links with the continent after Brexit will cause severe damage to our economy, our businesses and our citizens.    “We must make every case for staying in both the single market and the customs union and the TUC’s input on their importance to jobs, wages and workers’ rights will be invaluable.”    Green Party Co-Leader, Caroline Lucas MP, said:    "The TUC recognise the perils of an extreme Brexit - and it's quite right that we'll be discussing together how to best protect workers in this country. "There is a growing political alliance around staying in the customs union and single market to avoid the worst effects of Brexit, and it's imperative that the voice of millions of workers should be heard in these negotiations. For workers to really have control of the Brexit process, they should also be given a final say on the terms of any deal through a referendum.”

Lib Dems call on Labour to join the fight against Home Office’s ‘sinister’ proposal on data rules

The Liberal Democrats and the3million are calling on Labour to protect people’s basic fundamental rights where data is being processed for immigration purposes.   Next Monday Diane Abbott  and Liam Byrne have the chance to join with the Liberal Democrats to oppose the government from using the cover of GDPR implementation to sneak in a sinister proposal that would deny people the right to access data held about them as part of their wider hostile environment agenda targeted at immigrants in the UK.    These provisions will likely impact EU citizens living in the UK post-Brexit.   The Liberal Democrats put forward an amendment to the Bill in the Lords to delete these provisions, but were not supported by Labour in the lobby when pushed to a vote.    The Liberal Democrats have written an open letter to Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott and shadow Secretary for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, Liam Byrne calling on them to support the Liberal Democrats’ fight to remove this alarming provision.    Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson, Ed Davey said:   “Diane Abbott’s warm words are not enough. We gave the Labour party a chance to kill this sinister provision and they sat on their hands in the Lords.    “It is no use tinkering at the edges with this exemption it needs to be deleted.    “The Government’s hostile environment agenda has gone too far and they are now infringing on people’s fundamental right to access their own data and have mistakes corrected. This is appalling from a so-called democratic government and has no place in Britain.”    Co-founder of the3million Nicolas Hatton said:    "The Data Protection Bill is supposed to be about giving people greater control over their data, but it contains an exemption for immigration cases that does exactly the opposite - by denying people access to their data when they need it most. "Victims of administrative errors may have no way to stop a typo from turning their lives upside down. Everyone should be entitled to know how the Home Office and other government agencies are using their records, and that is why the3million support removing this exemption."

Investigation into audit market needed after Carillion collapse

Liberal Democrat leader, Vince Cable, has called for a fresh investigation into the audit services market to smash the domination of the so-called 'big four'.

In a letter to the Competition Markets Authority, Cable raises concern that there continued to be a lack of competition to the 'big four' auditing firms.

In the wake of the collapse of Carillion, where criticism has been made that the external auditor did not highlight potential problems at the company, there is a need to look again how the market is operating and review the 'remedies' introduced in 2014 which Cable describes as being a 'disappointment' to him.

In the letter Vince Cable writes:

"For far too long regulators have stood back and allowed the Big Four to dominate. This is not healthy for the industry itself or for their clients. There needs to be far greater competition, even if this has to be facilitated by breaking up the Big Four themselves, perhaps by spinning off their consulting arms."

"I am writing to ask you to conduct a fresh investigation into the audit market with a specific mandate to look into the merits or otherwise of this remedy. We cannot continue to see such a soft approach taken to such a vital market"

Revised GDP figures highlight economy's weakness

The Office for National Statistics has revised the UK economy's growth down from 0.5% to 0.4% for the final quarter of 2017. It has also confirmed the economy grew by only 1.7% in 2017, down from an earlier estimate of 1.8%.  Responding, Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable said:  "These revisions confirm that the economy is at its weakest since 2012. Some industries, such as construction, look particularly frail, while families are being hit by rising inflation at a time when wage growth is poor. "The UK economy will continue to be outpaced by other countries if the Conservatives maintain their pursuit of a needlessly hard Brexit. Unnecessary threats to pull us out of the Single Market and the Customs Union are putting a dampener on the economy."

Government should allow cannabis for medicinal purposes

Commenting on the government's refusal to allow cannabis for medicinal purposes, specifically in the case of six year old Alfie Dingley, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesman Ed Davey said: "The government's refusal to consider allowing the use of cannabis for medicinal purpose is criminalising people who simply need to alleviate chronic pain. "A growing number of our European neighbours and other countries around the world now recognise the benefits of medicinal cannabis. "The government must put aside their preconceptions on this issue, and instead start looking at the evidence and listening to the views of patients and experts."

Unemployment rise a 'warning sign'

ONS figures show the first rise in unemployment in two years.
 

Baroness Susan Kramer, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson, commented:

 This rise in unemployment is small, but it is a warning sign, that, along with the drop in foreign investment and high inflation, UK economic growth is fragile, and that the uncertainty of Brexit is denying us the high rates of growth that other countries enjoy.

Cruel treatment of disability benefit claimants exposed by Commons committee

In response to the Work and Pensions Select Committee Report out today on PIP and ESA assessments Stephen Lloyd MP, Liberal Democrat DWP spokesperson, said :
 
“This is an utterly damning report from the Select Committee on the quality, or lack thereof, from the government’s PIP and ESA assessments programmes.

"It’s clear far too many assessments are inadequate for this system to continue in its current form.

"This also comes on the day where the DWP has put out a deplorable tweet reminding people that as today is Valentines Day, they will be checking that benefits claimants are declaring they live with a partner or else. It’s obvious this Conservative government knows the price of everything but the value of nothing. 

"This is proof that the Liberal Democrat position of stripping the assessment contract from corporate behemoths such as ATOS and Capita and bringing them in-house as a public service, is the only practical and humane way forward.”

Intransigence over Irish language brings Stormont talks to a halt

Responding to the news that talks have collapsed in Stormont, Vince Cable, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, said:

"British taxpayer's have coughed up £1 billion to placate the DUP and keep them on the Government's side during this disastrous parliament. What are we getting for it? Just intransigence. 

"The British government are heading for a very dangerous situation in Ireland. Their approach to Brexit will lead to further division in Ireland, and undermine the Good Friday Agreement. At the same time their key allies in the Commons, to who they paid a billion pounds,  are refusing to show any willingness to compromise over internal matters in Northern Ireland.

"Theresa May needs to take this situation by the scruff of the neck and deal with it."

Shas Sheehan calls for full inquiry into aid sector

Helen Evans, former head of safeguarding at Oxfam, made damning accusations about the lack of basic processes and disregard of serious concerns she raised, the substance of which were not denied by the chief executive.

In response, Baroness Sheehan, Liberal Democrat International Development Spokesperson, said:

"The government must now accept that nothing short of a full and far-reaching enquiry into illegal sexual behaviour within Oxfam and across the wider aid sector, will do.

"The public have a right to know what the extent of the problem is, and whether what has been exposed to date is only the tip of the iceberg.

"This information is vital if those of us who are proud of Britain’s record of delivering aid to the poorest people on our planet are to successfully defend it.

"The saddest outcome of this whole sorry saga would be to throw the baby out with the bathwater, and desert the 0.7% of GNI devoted to alleviate extreme poverty."
 

Office for National Statistics report reveals massive wealth gap that is not getting smaller

The ONS has released its latest figures from the Wealth and Assets Survey. Findings include: In July 2014 to June 2016, the wealth held by the top 10% of households was around five times greater than the wealth of the bottom half of all households combined. The wealthiest 10% own 44% of all wealth, those in the “Middle wealth” category (51% -90%) own 47% of all wealth, and the poorest half own just 9% of all wealth.  The bottom 10% of households have total wealth of £14,100 or less, the top 10% of households have total wealth of £1,208,300 or more, and the top 1% of households have total wealth of £3,227,500 or more. There was a striking increase in the value of net property wealth for households in London compared with all other regions; median net property wealth in London was £351,000 in July 2014 to June 2016, a 33% increase from £263,000 in July 2012 to June 2014. Total aggregate debt of all households in Great Britain was £1.23 trillion in July 2014 to June 2016 (a 7% increase from July 2012 to June 2014), of which £1.12 trillion was mortgage debt (6% higher) and £117.0 billion was financial debt (15% higher).  Young people (16-34) are clustered in the bottom wealth deciles, whereas the opposite is true of older households (65+).  Responding, Vince Cable, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: “The evidence points to a dramatic wealth gap that is not getting any smaller. It is a major driver of the disadvantages faced by younger people, who are currently struggling to get a foot on the housing ladder. “Conservative policies on inheritance tax and capital gains tax have only widened this inequality of wealth between generations.” “Wealth should be a key to unlocking opportunities, not a barrier to them."

Davey welcomes court ruling on government surveillance

Commenting on a court ruling yesterday which has found the government’s mass digital surveillance regime unlawful, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Ed Davey said:
 
"The UK's surveillance regime has once again been declared unlawful. The Government cannot simply tinker around the edges and hope for a different result. What we need is a full overhaul of the system that puts our freedoms and civil liberties at its very core.

"Liberal Democrats believe we can be safe and secure by ensuring surveillance is targeted and suspicion-led. What we need is for our police and intelligence services to be given the resources and money they need to do their job, not endless new laws."
 

Slashing Universal Credit penalises self-employed

Commenting on ONS figures released last week showing an 82,000 fall in the number of self-employed workers, Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions spokesperson Stephen Lloyd MP said:
 
“Liberal Democrats are deeply concerned by this huge drop in the number of people working for themselves, reversing a shift towards increasing self-employment and entrepreneurial risk-taking.
 
“I find it hard to believe that the roll-out of Universal Credit – which penalises the self-employed – does not have something to do with this.
 
“By slashing the support it offers the self-employed after twelve months and not taking account of freelancers’ fluctuating incomes, Universal Credit is making it much harder for people in modest circumstances to start their own businesses.
 
“I urge the Secretary of State to immediately review how Universal Credit treats the self-employed, before it devastates the 800,000 freelancers who are expected to transition onto it.”
 

Conservative infighting threatens to wreck Britain's financial services industry

The government must urgently spell out its aims from the second phase of EU negotiations and on transitional arrangements, the Lords EU Financial Affairs Sub-Committee has warned.  The committee has warned of market fragmentation and financial instability if the UK loses access to the EU through no deal, particularly damaging Britain's financial services industry. Goldman Sachs boss Lloyd Blankfein, for example, warned this week that it is reaching a point in contingency planning where it will be too late to stop the group from leaving the UK. Responding, Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable said:  "This is a serious warning from a respected committee. Philip Hammond's comments this week that the UK and EU economies will diverge only 'very modestly' shows he is desperate to reassure the City that nothing is really  going to change. "But obviously things will. Serious business people will, therefore, be assessing their options, including whether or not to relocate to other EU countries. "The Conservatives must stop their infighting and at least draw up some kind of coherent plan on what they want from Brexit talks."

Dangerous, misogynistic, racist Trump is deserving of the protests he will undoubtedly face

Responding to reports that a UK visit from Trump will happen later this year as details are being 'finalised', Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader and Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, said: “Trump is a dangerous, misogynistic racist and is deserving of the protests he will undoubtedly face. "If and when he comes to the UK the Liberal Democrats will be at front and centre of the protests."

Government oblivious to record levels of prison violence

New figures show that violence and self-injury in prisons have reached record highs

Data released by the Ministry of Justice demonstrates a 12% rise in incidences of both self-injury and assaults over the past year in prisons in England and Wales.

Over the last 12 months there has been a 15% increase in the number of self-harm incidents requiring hospital attendance.

Lord Jonathan Marks, Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson, said:

“The Government’s continued failure to get violence and self-harm in our prisons under control is utterly disgraceful. The new Minister for Prisons, Rory Stewart, must make this his top priority.

“The Conservatives claim to want to turn our prisons into places of reform but with no attempt being made to address overcrowding they will likely remain squalid warehouses that only serve to harden criminals.”

Modest housebuilding increase dwarfed by executives' bonus hikes says Vince Cable

The latest National House Building Council statistics say that there has been a 6% growth in the number of new homes built in 2017 on the previous year. Responding, Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable said:  "A 6% increase to 160,000 homes still leaves the country a long way short on the 300,000 a year everyone now agrees is necessary to provide some stability to the market and provide hope to would-be first time buyers. "This modest increase in new houses is dwarfed by the hike in bonuses enjoyed by housebuilding executives, fuelled by the flawed Right-to-Buy scheme."

IMF figures reveal UK is under-performing in the world

Commenting on the lMF's latest global forecast, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Vince Cable, said: “It is clear that Britain is under-performing relative to much of Europe, the USA and the rest of the world. It is especially unfortunate that the UK is entering an extended period of economic stagnation just as the rest of the world experiences a growth burst. “The Brexit vote might not have produced a catastrophic collapse yet, but it has dampened investment, and consumer confidence and reduced Britain's global standing. "The IMF's call to avoid any new trade barriers or regulatory realignments vindicates the Liberal Democrat campaign for an exit from Brexit."

Government backs Lib Dem pension proposal

Responding to calls from the Lib Dem Spokesman for the Department for Work & Pensions, Stephen Lloyd MP, new DWP Secretary of State Esther McVey agreed that a review into the current rules - past and current - after companies go bust is “something that needs to be brought forward”. Responding to the comments, Liberal Democrat Work & Pensions Spokesman, Stephen Lloyd MP said yesterday: “Under current rules, pension obligations are unsecured – meaning that insolvent companies only fund their pension schemes once they have compensated their other supposedly more ‘important’ secured creditors.” “Today I urged the new Secretary of State to review the rules and provide further protection for employees with private pensions by giving them greater priority when companies fail. I was delighted to hear the Minister agree that this is something ‘which needs to be brought forward’. "Then and only then will employees with private pensions be wholly protected when large companies collapse. I will be making sure that the Minister sticks to her word on this.”

Child poverty figures reveal Tories are failing most vulnerable

Commenting on the report from the End Child Poverty coalition revealing that in some areas of the UK more than half of children are living in poverty, Layla Moran MP said: “This is an appalling indictment of a Tory Party that are failing to protect the most vulnerable in society. “The gulf between children born in the richest and poorest families is widening, but Theresa May is more preoccupied with the gulf in her cabinet over Brexit. “When we fail our children like this we fail as a society. The government must take action.”

Evidence disclosure crisis will undermine our criminal justice system if unaddressed

Commenting on the increasing failure by police or prosecutors to disclose evidence over the last two years, Jonathan Marks, Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson, said:   "This is a growing issue that will undermine our criminal justice system as a whole if we do not address it. "More funding and better training must be provided to police and prosecutors to ensure that proper process if followed so cases do not collapse unnecessarily. "Disclosure of evidence favourable to the defence is a fundamental part of prosecuting fairly. It is clear that government have ignored this issue to date and must now urgently make up for lost time.”

Ming Campbell comments on Defence accounting split

Commenting on news that the defence element of the National Security Capability Review will be separated out, Liberal Democrat Defence spokesperson Menzies Campbell said:

"This separation was both necessary and inevitable. The pressure on the government from all sides and all parties on the need to protect and enhance the defence budget was overwhelming.

"What it does mean is that when the national security review appears we will only have half the picture."

CBI: Britain needs to stay in customs union

Commenting on yesterday's intervention from CBI Director-General, Carolyn Fairbairn, which highlighted the importance of the customs union to British businesses, Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake said: 

“This is an important intervention from the CBI, and pours yet more cold water on the government’s idea that they can rustle up a trade deal that in anyway compares to the economic benefits of being in the EU and maintain the red lines they have set.

"The Conservatives are making a monumental mess of Brexit. The approach Theresa May has adopted so far is creating mass uncertainty for people and businesses and is designed to please her party’s right wing not to deliver what is best for the country. She must now change course.

"Liberal Democrats want to see a vote on the deal she strikes with the EU, so that the people can have their say on whether it is good enough for Britain.”

Lidington's comments on rejoining the EU - Brake responds

Responding to reports in The Telegraph that David Lidington has said the UK could rejoin the EU in the future, Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake said:
 
“Whilst I welcome David Lidington's suggestion that the UK could rejoin a reformed EU, it would be more effective for the UK to be at the heart of that reform process from the outset. The UK, which has always been very influential in the EU, is best placed to play a part in driving reform by remaining a member.
 
“As a Liberal Democrat, I want people to have control over the future of our country, and that has to start by giving them a vote on the Brexit deal when it is done, so they can choose to exit from Brexit if they don’t like it”
 

Longer-term support needed for SMEs hit by Carillion crash

Responding to news that small businesses affected by Carillion's liquidation will receive support from a number of banks, Lorely Burt, Liberal Democrat Small Business Spokesperson said:
 
"It is essential that small businesses do not bear the brunt of the Conservative government's inaction and Carillion's collapse. While the Liberal Democrats welcome the emergency measures that have been put in place, small businesses must continue to be supported in the longer-term. 
 
The government must act now to provide this support. The Liberal Democrats back the Federation of Small Businesses' call for the government to set up a Carillion task force to help all small businesses that are affected find new opportunities and financial support. The government must stop burying their heads in the sand. It's time they take responsibility for this situation and provide the long-term help necessary to the minimise damage caused to small businesses by Carillion's collapse." 

Cable on NAO report: Public bodies must be able to renegotiate onerous PFI contracts

Responding to the National Audit Office's report into PFI and PF2 contracts, Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable said:  “PFI is a useful way of financing projects in certain situations, but it has been a mixed experience. If overdone, PFI becomes a way for the government to kick the financial implications of major spending decisions down the road. It is also clear that in many cases down the years these PFIs were negotiated just to keep liabilities off the government balance sheet.    "Public bodies should have the means to renegotiate particularly onerous and disadvantageous PFI contracts. Moving forward, PFI contracts should only be used when it can be proven they are the best available option. "The Carillion crisis reminds us that these types of projects have to be undertaken very carefully to ensure the distribution of risk is not skewed against the taxpayer."

Carillion investigation welcome, but more needed

Commenting on news that the Official Receiver will fast-track an investigation into the directors at Carillion, Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable said:

“The fast-tracking of this investigation into the directors who led Carillion is welcome. But we also need a National Audit Office probe, followed by Parliamentary scrutiny by the Public Accounts Committee to fully understand what led to Carillion’s collapse.

"We need to know why the government felt it was not wrong to feed Carillion lucrative public sector contracts when they knew the company was in severe trouble because of its profit warnings.” 
 

Layla Moran slaps down offensive snob Conservative MP

Responding to comments made in 2012 by Tory MP and party vice-chair for youth Ben Bradley where he suggested unemployed young men should get vasectomies, Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran said:

“These hugely misinformed and offensive comments should shame Mr Bradley and the Tory party. 

“It beggars belief that someone who has shown such contempt for young people who are out of work has been tasked by the Prime Minister to improve her party’s appeal with young voters. 

“This is another example of a shocking lack of due diligence by May and her team when making appointments to influential roles. This seriously draws their judgement into question.”
 

Inquiry needed into questionable decisions around Carillion - Cable

Responding to reports that Carillion is to go into liquidation, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable said: “The government must now take responsibility for the big contracts run by Carillion, or re-tender them, to keep the supply chain going and protect thousands of jobs. Ministers must minimise the damage to the capacity of the construction industry. “We also urgently need a parliamentary inquiry into some of the very questionable decisions made in the past few months, not least the award of public contracts to a company that was clearly in danger of collapse. The issue of the former chief executive still being paid his salary, plus perks and bonus, is also a reward for failure that has to be looked into.”

Cable says iconic company GKN must be saved from private equity firm

Commenting on news that leading company GKN has been subject to an attempted takeover by Melrose, Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable said:

“GKN is at the heart of the industrial strategy in the car and aerospace industry in the UK. 

“If it were to be taken over this would be a massive blow to our industrial strategy.

“GKN stands for long term investment in advanced manufacturing whereas Melrose are in the business of short term financial engineering. 

“I will be writing to the Secretary of State for Business asking him to intervene and ensure this damaging takeover does not happen.”

Study shows international students contribute £20bn to UK economy

International students bring a net benefit of £20.3 billion to the UK economy, a joint study by the Higher Education Policy Institute and Kaplan International Pathways has found. Liberal Democrat Leader Vince Cable commented: “I welcome this timely report from the Higher Education Policy Institute. "This is a battle I fought for five years in government with Theresa May. "All her cabinet colleagues seem now to realise there is a need to remove students from the immigration figures, but still nothing changes. "The Conservatives are pursuing economic self-harm through harsh visa restrictions. "International students enrich our economy and society and Liberal Democrats will continue defending their rights to study here."

Construction sector sees largest fall in five years

The construction sector has seen the biggest quarterly fall in output in five years, ONS figures published today have revealed. Construction output decreased by 2% in the three-months to November 2017, the biggest contraction since August 2012. Liberal Democrat Leader Vince Cable commented: "It’s no surprise that the construction sector is being severely impacted by the Government's Brexit plans. "On top of growing economic uncertainty, the construction sector is particularly dependent on EU workers who are leaving in an ever-worsening Brexodus. "As the negative economic consequences of Brexit become clear, the public must be offered a way out. "That is why the Liberal Democrats will keep campaigning for a vote on the final Brexit deal, to take place by December 2018."

Cable: Conservatives show "complete lack of ambition" on plastics

The Conservatives launch their 25-year environment plan tomorrow. Despite being heavily trailed to the media, the proposals are expected to be limited. Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable said:  "The Conservatives should be eliminating all avoidable plastic waste now - a target of 2042 beggars belief. They ramped up expectations only to disappoint. "The Conservatives have shown a complete lack of ambition. Notably, they have failed to deal with the excessive waste of coffee cups through the levy proposed by the Liberal Democrats and recently embraced by a powerful group of cross-party MPs. "This is only a small step rather than the leap that is needed. Even the extension of the 5p tax on plastic bags only closed exemptions unnecessarily introduced by the Conservative Party."

Universal Credit will drive up homelessness as people struggle to rent homes

The Conservatives' roll out of Universal Credit risks driving up homelessness, Stephen Lloyd, Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions Spokesperson, will warn in his Westminster Hall debate this morning. Lloyd is leading calls for the reform of the housing benefit element of Universal Credit before a “disaster occurs in an already dysfunctional housing market”. He will call on the Department for Work and Pensions to make some further changes to the way they administer the housing element of Universal Credit before it is too late. Speaking ahead of the debate, Stephen Lloyd warned:  "If further urgent changes are not made to the Government’s new benefit, Universal Credit, homelessness will skyrocket and the private rental sector will prove even more resistant to tenants on benefits. "The government has the opportunity to improve the chronic housing shortage across the country by making Universal Credit payments to landlords the default option. "Despite the chaos created by the shambolic roll-out of Universal Credit, opportunities for positive action remain if the government actually listens to those trying to make the system work."

Young's appointment was a serious mistake, at least he has realised - Cable

Responding to the resignation of Toby Young, Vince Cable, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: “Toby Young’s appointment was a serious mistake, but at least the man himself has realised as much and resigned. "The Conservatives must get their basic due diligence right - getting a role in public office cannot be based solely on being a friend of Boris Johnson. “Theresa May stood by a misogynist and supporter of eugenics. She has shown poor judgement and, coupled with a troubled reshuffle, has made a bad start to the year.”

O'Neill right, future of UK is in unsafe hands - Cable

Responding to former Treasury Minister Lord O'Neill's comments that leading Brexiteers in the government have "no clue about the world economy", Vince Cable, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: “Jim O'Neill is absolutely right to say that leading Brexiteers are clueless about the world economy. “The future of our country is resting in their hands yet they have shown time and time again that they have a chronic misconception of how the modern, globalised world works. “Of course it is right to disown Trump's nationalistic and short-sighted approach to Pacific countries but far-flung trade deals will never compensate for leaving the world's largest market sitting on our doorstep. “The British people must be given a chance to decide their own future, they must be given a chance to exit from Brexit.”

World deserves better than petulant child running a superpower

Responding to Trump's latest round of Twitter diplomacy, including boasting about the size of his button and threatening Palestine, Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, the first UK MP of Palestinian background, said:  “After a year in office it has become quite clear that Donald Trump is making the world less safe. “His ham-fisted, bully boy diplomacy is leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. People struggling through a lifetime of conflict deserve better than a petulant child running a world superpower. “The world would be a better place if only he could just show some restraint. Instead we will spend years having to pick up the pieces.”

11,000 homes across UK empty for ten years or more

Over 11,000 homes across the country have been sitting empty for ten years or more, research by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.  Vince Cable has said it is a "national scandal" that so many homes are being left empty when the country is in the midst of a worsening homelessness crisis. The figures, uncovered through Freedom of Information responses from 276 local councils, show that there are over 216,000 homes across the country that have been empty for six months or more. Of these, 60,000 had been empty for two years or more, 23,000 for five years or more, and over 11,000 have stood empty for at least ten years. The research also shows that just one in thirteen councils are making use of Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMO), powers used by local authorities to take over properties that have been empty for at least six months. Only 19 of the 247 councils in England and Wales that responded (the powers do not apply in Scotland) had used an EDMO in the past five years. Of these only six had used one in the past year. In total, councils returned around 23,000 empty homes back into use, including through direct action and the work of empty home teams. The Liberal Democrats are calling for reform of EDMOs and stronger powers for local councils to bring long-term empty homes back into use. The areas with the largest number of homes empty for six months or more were Durham (6,502), Leeds (5,724), Bradford (4,144), Cornwall (3,273) and Liverpool (3,093). Many of these areas also suffer from high levels of homelessness. Liberal Democrat Leader Vince Cable commented: “At a time when the homelessness crisis is worsening and more and more people are sleeping out in the cold on our streets, it is a national scandal that thousands of homes across the country are sitting empty. “These homes could be turned into affordable places to live for some of the most vulnerable people in our society. “The Government needs to urgently review the current system which is clearly not working. “Councils need to be given the powers and resources to bring empty homes back into use . “This must form part of a wider package to tackle the housing crisis, including building more homes on unused public sector land and clamping down on land-banking.” Local Welsh Liberal Democrat secretary Frank Little added: “One notes that Neath Port Talbot was one of those councils which did not respond to the survey. However, if their performance is anything like that of Swansea City - over 2,000 empty dwellings and only one use of an EDMO - then there is cause for worry.”

May forced into dropping foreign students from immigration numbers

Responding to reports Theresa May will be forced into dropping foreign students from official immigration figures, Liberal Democrat Leader Vince Cable said: “For years Theresa May has stubbornly refused to accept that international students are not immigrants, while the Home Office has wildly exaggerated the number of those who overstay. “This absurd policy has fuelled concerns over immigration numbers and done serious damage to our universities. “It’s about time the government dropped this completely self-harming approach. “International students generate over £25 billion for our economy and support thousands of jobs across the country. “We should be encouraging more students to come and spend their money in the UK, instead of needlessly hampering one of Britain’s most successful export industries.”

Conservatives are reinventing Dad's Army at Britain's ports

The Liberal Democrats have warned that plans for volunteer border guards would expose Britain's soft underbelly in the fight against terrorism and organised crime. The Home Office has confirmed proposals for “border force special volunteers” at small air and sea ports, who would be unpaid and have no powers to interrogate or arrest suspects. It recently emerged that the budget for UK border force will be cut again in 2017/18, from £565m to £552m. The number of border guards has been cut from 8,153 in 2014/15 to 7,574 this year. Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Ed Davey commented: “Now we see what the Conservatives really mean by 'controlling our borders' - they want to re-invent Dad’s Army at our ports. “This would be funny if it wasn’t so serious. Our small ports are Britain’s soft underbelly in the fight against illegal immigration, drug smuggling and terrorism. “Theresa May’s cuts to the UK Border Force have almost certainly already led to a rise in illegal immigration and drug smuggling. "If she now thinks introducing a few uniformed volunteers is the right response to this serious threat, it really is time to panic, Mr Mainwaring.”

Cable: How can Grayling survive if Lord Adonis' accusations are correct?

Vince Cable has said it is difficult to see how Chris Grayling can survive as Transport Secretary if criticisms made by Lord Adonis over bailing out the East Coast rail franchise are correct. Liberal Democrat Leader Vince Cable said: "This is a lethal criticism of the Transport Secretary's mishandling of rail franchises. "It would appear that the government is handing out millions of pounds in subsidy to Virgin Rail and Stagecoach for failing to meet their financial objectives. "This makes a complete mockery of the entire principle of rail franchising, that companies compete and take a hit if they miscalculate the market and don't get their sums right. "It’s difficult to see how Mr Grayling can survive if Lord Adonis’ accusations are correct."