Government must publish Brexit legal advice

Responding to the announcement that the Speaker of the House has granted a debate on the cross-party contempt motion over the Government's refusal to fully publish the Brexit legal advice, cosignatory Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson, Tom Brake said:

"Parliament is finally taking back control from this chaotic government.

"The Attorney General put on a good show, but the House did not want TV drama. MPs expect the publication of the full legal Brexit advice before the debates on the withdrawal deal begin.

"The government must not be allowed to use this chaotic situation to take focus away from the mess they are making of Brexit."

Lib Dem victory on tackling 'Sex for Rent'

After pressure from Liberal Democrat MP, Wera Hobhouse, the Crown Prosecution Service have confirmed they will be conducting a review to update their guidelines on 'sex for rent'.

After speaking in the Westminster Hall Debate on the issue, Wera Hobhouse said:

"It is great to see progress is being made on such an important issue. This crime is vile and illegal, and the Government must do everything it can to stop perpetrators taking advantage of vulnerable individuals affected by the housing crisis.

“It is crucial we ensure police have the tools and guidance to tackle 'sex for rent'. I hope to see the update ensure that the CPS guidelines are robust and fit for the modern era.

“Today marks a big win for vulnerable people up and down the country, and I'm glad the Government have listened. However, I urge Ministers and MPs from across the house to keep working with me on this issue, to ensure we eradicate this crime for good."

Note: There is a fuller description of her campaign by Wera Hobhouse on Liberal Democrat Voice. 

PM leaving us in the dark on immigration

Theresa May has refused to confirm when the immigration White Paper will be published. She was asked by Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb after Ministers originally promised to publish the White Paper last year, but that deadline has been repeatedly postponed.

Responding to the Prime Minister’s failure to answer his question, Norman Lamb said:

“It is unacceptable that Theresa May is still refusing to answer this question. She has spent years talking of ending free movement, but today has once again refused to tell us when we will find out what this means.

“The continual delays arising from cabinet splits are clearly because they know her proposals are dangerous for our public services and for business. There is already a shortage of workers in the NHS and social care and her proposals would only exacerbate them.

“This failure to produce the White Paper is leaving everyone in the dark. It is vital the Conservative Government either publishes the paper or comes clean and admits their plans are simply unworkable.”

Government has let down victims over second Leveson Inquiry

Responding to the announcement that the second Leveson Inquiry will not go ahead after victims lost a High Court fight against the Government, Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine said: "The Conservative Government has let down those families who had their privacy invaded and their lives turned upside down by some of the press who behaved appallingly. "A commitment was made during the coalition that the Leveson Inquiry would be completed and that justice would be sought. "It’s not acceptable that this issue has been kicked into the long grass for so long, in an attempt to get us to forget it. But for the families that were affected by this intrusion, it will never be forgotten. They deserve better and the Liberal Democrats demand better for them."

Government failure to publish immigration plans an affront to parliamentary democracy

Responding to the Home Secretary’s admission yesterday that the Government’s plans for post-Brexit immigration might not be published before the “meaningful vote” on the Brexit deal, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Ed Davey described the continued delay as “completely unacceptable”.   Appearing before the Home Affairs Select Committee, Sajid Javid admitted that he couldn’t say that the long-awaited immigration white paper would be published before MPs vote on Theresa May’s deal on 11th December.   Ministers originally promised to publish the white paper last year, but that deadline has been repeatedly postponed. Ed Davey has written to both the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary demanding that they publish the white paper without any further delay.   Liberal Democrat MP Ed Davey said:   “When it comes to publishing their immigration plans, the Tories seem to be taking the phrase ‘white paper’ far too literally. After years spent talking about ending free movement, they still can’t give us any details of what that really means. This continued delay is completely unacceptable.   “From the reports of Cabinet splits, it seems Theresa May’s own Ministers understand that her obsession with the arbitrary net migration target is disastrous for our economy and our public services. Her proposals would create a huge amount of bureaucracy for British businesses and make the shortage of workers in the NHS and social care a lot worse.   “The Liberal Democrats demand better. Theresa May must either publish her immigration proposals now, or admit the truth: that they are simply unworkable.”

Ed Davey challenges May on human rights

Following the publication of the political declaration on the UK’s future relationship with the EU, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Ed Davey has written to the Prime Minister, urging her to commit to retaining the European Convention on Human Rights in UK law.

In the letter, Davey raises concerns over new language in paragraph 7 of the political declaration, which states that “The future relationship should incorporate the United Kingdom's continued commitment to respect the framework of the European Convention on Human Rights”. He argues that this is not sufficient, and asks the Prime Minister to clarify whether this could mean the UK leaving the ECHR.

Ed Davey commented:

“If Theresa May is once again threatening to withdraw the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights, she must come clean with Parliament and the people.

“She has no mandate to allow people’s individual freedoms to be curbed, yet her political declaration appears to suggest she might withdraw us from the ECHR after Brexit, even though it is totally separate from the EU.

“The Liberal Democrats demand better. We will continue to lead the fight against attempts to withdraw the UK from the ECHR, and to fight to give the people the final say on Theresa May’s deal, with the option of an Exit from Brexit.”

The full text of Ed Davey’s letter to the Prime Minister:

Dear Theresa,

The outline of the political declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom published by the Government last week (on 14th November) included as one of the initial provisions:
“Reaffirmation of the United Kingdom's commitment to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)”.

However, the draft political declaration published today (22nd November) merely states that:
“The future relationship should incorporate the United Kingdom's continued commitment to respect the framework of the European Convention on Human Rights”.

This is deeply concerning. The Liberal Democrats believe that the ECHR’s guarantee of individual freedoms is essential for keeping our society free and democratic. The UK must remain a party to the ECHR, and we do not believe that a commitment merely to “respect its framework” is sufficient.

Can you please explain the reasons for this change of wording and explain what effect it would have. Specifically, do you believe it would be possible to “respect the framework” of the ECHR without remaining a party to it under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights

Can you also please clarify what the Government’s policy is on the ECHR. Will you commit to the UK remaining a party to it in the future, even if we leave the EU?

Yours sincerely,

Ed

Cable: PM’s plan is ‘pathetically weak’

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable has described Theresa May’s political declaration as “pathetically weak”.  Speaking in the House of Commons today, Vince Cable said: “This is essentially an agreement to have an agreement. It is full of worryingly vague aspirations. How, for example, can the Prime Minister justify Clause 24 which relates to medicines, chemicals and aviation safety when we currently have strong agreed cooperative standards?” The Liberal Democrat Leader added: “The Prime Minister has managed to negotiate an agreement where we, and I quote, ‘explore the possibility of cooperation.’ That is pathetically weak. It will cause great anxiety to millions of people who depend on high standards of safety.” In response, the Prime Minister confirmed the Government would not be able to put together “legal text until we have left the European Union.”  Following the exchange, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable said:  “Be it the Prime Minister’s deal or any deal, Brexit will make people poorer and weaken the UK’s standing in the world.  “It is painfully clear that there is no majority in Parliament for any deal. The only way to break the deadlock and end uncertainty is with a People’s Vote, including the option to remain in the EU.”

Tories must take back control of smart meters

Responding to the National Audit Office report on rolling out smart meters, Ed Davey, former Liberal Democrat Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, said:

“The smart meter programme's aims are positive and making the energy system smarter is essential if we want to move to a low carbon economy.

“However, the Tories have bungled this rollout badly. When I left Government we were expecting 2^nd generation meters and a central database within a year; we currently have neither. Instead, because of Conservative failings, suppliers are still rolling out 1^st generation meters that go ‘dumb’ when you switch. What’s the point of a smart meter that stops working if you switch? Liberal Democrats demand better.

 
“The Government needs to take back control of smart meters. First, they need to accept some hard truths: they have completely botched this, it’s going to come in vastly over budget, and they are responsible. Only then can the public trust that smart meters will work for them, otherwise they’ll think it's nothing more than a white elephant.”

Tory paralysis failing domestic abuse victims

Responding to official statistics published this week showing that 2 million people experienced domestic abuse in 2017-18, Liberal Democrat Communities spokesperson Wera Hobhouse said:

 “Every case of domestic abuse is an abhorrent and unthinkable crime. The scale of these figures show the urgent need for the Domestic Abuse Bill, but the Tories’ Brexit-induced paralysis is delaying vital legislation and failing victims.
 
“Changing the law alone won’t, however, be enough on its own. Liberal Democrats demand better. We are fighting for more funding for refuges and rape crisis centres, as well as a new national rape crisis helpline to support victims and increase the chances of convictions.”

Serious failings revealed in Commons committee report must be put right

Responding to the Intelligence and Security Committee’s report on the 2017 terror attacks, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Ed Davey said:

“We are all immensely grateful for the work our police and security services do in responding to terror attacks and stopping others from being carried out.

“This report reveals a number of serious failings that must be put right in order to prevent more tragedies in the future. The failure of successive Home Secretaries to address past concerns is completely unacceptable.

“Rather than introducing needless new authoritarian laws in its latest Counter-Terror Bill, the Government should focus on fixing these problems. That includes a thorough review of the Prevent programme.”

PM must come clean on immigration plans

Responding to Theresa May’s speech to the CBI conference yesterday, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Ed Davey said: “Theresa May is desperately trying to win over the Brexit hardliners on the Tory benches by promising tough new immigration controls. But she still refuses to publish any details of her plans, more than a year after the white paper was originally due. “The PM is trying to hide the truth: that her plans would either fail to end free movement as she claims, or place a huge new bureaucratic burden on employers while damaging our economy and undermining public services. Either way, that’s hardly 'taking back control'. “The Liberal Democrats demand better. Theresa May must finally come clean and publish her immigration white paper now, so MPs can scrutinise the proposals before voting on her Brexit deal.”

Bank of England must conduct honest assessment of Brexit deal

 Leader of the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable has today urged the Bank of England to conduct “an honest assessment of the Brexit deal and the options” and produce economic analysis of what remaining in the EU will mean for the UK economy. 

 The calls follow the appearance of Bank of England Governor Mark Carney before the Commons Treasury committee this morning where he said that the Bank of England was “not intending to look at providing additional analysis on the third scenario which is no Brexit at all.”
 
However, just last night the House of Commons forced the Government to accept an amendment to the Finance Bill which means Ministers must publish assessments comparing the UK’s economic prospects between Theresa May’s deal and remaining in the EU. The Liberal Democrats want the Bank of England to follow suit.
 
Leader of the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable said: 
 
“Last week the PM confirmed that ‘No Brexit’ was an option for the UK going forward; it is now going from possible to probable.
 
“The public deserve to see a full and comprehensive assessment of all the options available to us – they should have had it two years ago in all honesty.
 
“The Bank of England need to do the responsible thing, and provide an analysis of the benefits of remaining in the EU, the emergence of information such as this is a game changer, and shows more than ever why we need to take this decision back to the people with a final say on May’s deal,”

Labour hypocrisy on schools

One story in Westminster, another in the council chamber

Local Lib Dems attacked local Welsh Labour councillors for letting down the children of Neath and Port Talbot. Cuts to the county’s education budget stood in clear opposition to the efforts of Education Minister Kirsty Williams in raising the status of education in Wales and displayed rank hypocrisy.

“Labour in Westminster deplores austerity in education. In an opposition-day debate last Tuesday on a motion calling for the government to ‘end austerity, not with little extras, but by reversing all cuts to education funding’, Labour MP after Labour MP stood up in the Commons on Tuesday to attack the Conservative government.”

It is a different tale in Neath Port Talbot. The Labour County Borough Council plans to slash the education budget by 2% in cash terms (even more when inflation is taken into account), reduce the wages of our hard-working dinner ladies and force secondary schools to sacrifice more of their own funds in order to maintain buildings and grounds.

Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democrats call on Labour to practise in Port Talbot what they preach in London and restore the cuts to the education budget.

David Davis's self-appointment dubbed farcical

Responding to reports that David Davis has spent several days in Washington speaking to US Trade Officials about a free trade deal with the UK, Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake said:

"Having failed to negotiate properly with the EU, the idea that David Davis is now touting himself as Britain's self-appointed 'man in Washington' is farcical. The Prime Minister must confirm he has not been acting in any official capacity or with her blessing.

"David Davis and his Brexiter colleagues have got us into a huge mess. With Britain now facing a damaging and disorderly Brexit deal, the people must be given the right to reject the deal and remain in the European Union, through a people's vote."

Lib Dems back move to defeat 'craven' government over FOBT delay

The Liberal Democrats have today announced they will back a cross-party amendment to the Finance Bill to ensure the maximum stake for fixed-odds betting terminals are introduced within six months.
 
Speaking ahead of the vote next week, Liberal Democrat Leader Vince Cable said:
 
“A few months ago I was approached by a mother who was distraught after her son had committed suicide as a result of distress caused by debts that had accrued from compulsive gambling. 

“There is now a network of grieving relatives who have been brought together by the same dreadful experience. Like them, I want the NHS to recognise gambling addiction as a serious mental health condition. Preventive action is also needed including urgent steps to curb some of the more exploitative practices like high stake fixed-odds betting terminals.

“I and the Liberal Democrats will therefore work with others to stop these abusive practices and introduce a crackdown as promised.  The Government has been utterly craven in giving in to lobbying from the industry and must now back the cross-party amendment or face defeat.”
 
Liberal Democrat Culture, Media & Sport Spokesperson in the House of Commons, Christine Jardine, added:  
 
“Further delays are causing more and more vulnerable people to face financial stress, mental health problems and worse.
 
“It doesn’t need to be this way. Liberal Democrats demand better, which is why we have been calling for the maximum stake to be reduced to £2 for nearly a decade.

“The Tories have already taken too long to act, now they are kicking it into the long grass. It simply isn’t good enough.”

Tory cuts make our borders less secure

After an inspection report revealed Border Force staff shortages at British seaports, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Ed Davey has called on the Government to recruit more officers to secure our borders.
 
The report by David Bolt, the Government’s Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, details concerns among Border Force officers that the agency is “resourced to fail” and that, due to staff shortages, “the border is not secured by any stretch of the imagination”.
 
Home Office accounts show that funding for the Border Force has been cut by 8% in real terms since 2015 and the number of officers has been reduced by 7%, from 8,332 to 7,734.
 
Responding to the report, Ed Davey said:
 
“The Border Force doesn’t have the officers it needs to cope with the pressures it faces now, let alone the extra pressures it will face if we leave the EU.
 
“Despite all their tough talk on immigration, Tory cuts have left our borders less secure, allowing organised criminals to traffic people, weapons and illegal drugs into the UK.
 
“The Liberal Democrats demand better. We will recruit more officers to an accountable, intelligence-led Border Force. That will help to secure our borders, rebuild trust in the immigration system and make our communities safer.”

Brake: If your passport is blue, get in the queue

Responding to documents published by the European Commission which show that British visitors to EU countries will require visas if their stay exceeds 90 days in a 180 day period, Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake said:

"Now we are beginning to realise why the Brexiters wanted everyone to get new, blue passports; to collect all the visa stamps they will need to travel as freely as they do now. 

"This will come as a real shock to those who spend their winter months in Spain or Portugal and will now see additional costs and potential queues providing extra baggage. 

"Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn need to start listening to the people up and down the country, the majority now want a People's Vote, and the chance to walk away from this terrible Tory mess." 

Both Tories and Labour must be transparent about Brexit mess

Following the passing of a motion in the House of Commons yesterday calling on the Conservative Government to publish the legal advice it has received on Brexit, Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake said:   “Tory Ministers must now be honest and upfront with the public and make available the final legal advice they have received on Brexit and the Northern Ireland backstop.   “But frankly, Labour too have a problem with legal advice. Does their legal advice confirm whether Brexit is stoppable or whether their six tests are legally compatible? The public are entitled to know.   “Both parties need to be transparent with the public on what Brexit will actually mean. It will be up to backbench MPs as to whether they blindly follow their shambolic leaderships or support a People’s Vote, including the option to remain in the EU.”

Hostile environment must be completely scrapped

Responding to the news that NHS Digital has withdrawn from its immigration data-sharing arrangement with the Home Office, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Ed Davey said:
 
“The Home Office should never have been forcing NHS staff to supply patients’ data in the first place. Doctors and nurses’ time should be spent providing healthcare to those who need it, not acting as border guards in Theresa May’s hostile environment.
 
“The Liberal Democrats demand better. We will completely scrap the Tories’ hostile environment and instead invest in an accountable, intelligence-led Border Force to prevent people entering the country illegally and quickly identify those who overstay their visas.
 
“That way we can secure our borders and rebuild trust in the immigration system, while leaving NHS workers to focus on their jobs.”

Government failing to meet promises made after Grenfell

Responding to the reports that more than 400 high-rise residential buildings still have the same type of external cladding blamed for the Grenfell Tower fire, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Housing Wera Hobhouse said: “Grenfell should never have happened. The fact that thousands of families are still living in unsafe high-rise buildings is a disgrace. “The Government is failing to meet the promises it made after the fire. The Secretary of State committed to fully fund the removal and replacement of unsafe cladding by councils and housing associations, but there are still over 150 publicly owned buildings that are unsafe. “Furthermore, those in private residential buildings cannot be ignored. The Government must not only meet its basic promises, but must go further and fund the same for the private sector. Money can be recovered at a later date but when it is about people's homes, safety must come first.”