Self-harm in prisons at record high

Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson Daisy Cooper has called on the Government to scrap “pointless” short sentences and end prison overcrowding, as new figures reveal record high levels of self-harm in prisons.

The latest Safety in custody statistics, published yesterday by the Ministry of Justice, show that there were 61,461 self-harm incidents in prisons in England Wales in the year ending September 2019. That is the highest rate on record and a 16% increase since the previous 12-month period.

The self-harm rate in women’s prisons is almost 5 times higher than the rate in men’s prisons. There were 3,007 incidents per 1,000 women prisoners, compared to 633 per 1,000 men.

Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson Daisy Cooper said:

“Our prisons are in crisis. It is a huge relief that rates of violence and deaths in prison appear to have stopped rising, but they are still far, far too high.

“Most concerning is the large and growing number of self-harm incidents, especially in women’s prisons.

“Because of overcrowding and understaffing, prisoners spend far too much time locked in their cells, with a lack of support or purposeful activity. To make matters worse, the Government is now introducing new laws that its own assessment says could well lead to more violence and self-harm in prisons.

“Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to turn prisons into places of rehabilitation by ending overcrowding, including by scrapping pointless short sentences that cause overcrowding and actually increase reoffending.”

Sacking Northern is just the first step

 

Responding to news that Northern Rail will be taken into public ownership on 1 March, Tim Farron MP, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for the north of England, said:
 
“I am delighted that my calls to ‘Sack Northern’ have finally been listened to by this Conservative government. For far too long, people across the north of England have suffered a substandard service.
 
“However, this is just the first step on a long road to improving the trains across the north. The Conservatives must now reverse their cancellations of the electrification of the Lakes Line and the Trans-Pennine line. It must press on with HS2, while increasing transparency and accountability of this project. 

"It must also approve the new Northern Powerhouse Rail between Manchester and Leeds and publish the Williams Review, implementing its recommendations as a matter of urgency.
 
“Sacking Northern will not fix the problems with our railways overnight and Liberal Democrats will continue to hold the Tories to account on their delivery of rail services across the north and the rest of the UK.”

Layla Moran: “Make 2020 the year that we finally scrap the Vagrancy Act”

Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran will today urge the Government to adopt her legislation this year and "finally scrap the Vagrancy Act" during a homelessness debate in Parliament.   The MP will warn that "even one person sleeping rough in this country in 2020 is a disgrace” as she brings back to Parliament her campaign to scrap the Vagrancy Act. Layla Moran is also expected to warn against the "out of sight, out of mind mentality’” shown in the installation of a new gate close to MPs’ and peers’ private entrance to Westminster tube station. Speaking ahead of the debate, Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran said:  “Even one person sleeping rough in this country in 2020 is a disgrace. We need to be taking a more compassionate approach to tackling this crisis. The Vagrancy Act, a Dickensian law from 1824 that criminalises rough sleeping, represents the first hurdle on that journey. “According to a new survey commissioned by the charity Crisis, 71% of people think arresting people for sleeping rough is a waste of police time. Over half said that it shouldn’t be a crime at all, and of course it shouldn’t!  “Liberal Democrats want to make 2020 the year that we finally scrap the Vagrancy Act. Ministers should be in no doubt, my Bill can be brought back in a heartbeat with their support. "Frankly, if there was a sizeable amount of political will in this House to spend £500,000 to make Big Ben bong for Brexit, then I firmly believe that there must be the will to repeal this law and work harder to eliminate homelessness in all its forms."

Kushner aims to divert attention from domestic investigations into Trump and Netanyahu

Responding to the news that Donald Trump has released his plan for the Middle East, Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, the first UK MP of Palestinian descent, said:  "The first step of an effective and meaningful negotiation is to include all parties. The exclusion of Palestinian representatives from the negotiation of this settlement is evidences enough that this is nothing more than a sham.  "Trump and Netanyahu are motivated by a desire to distract from domestic problems, rather than by the desire to build real consensus. It's clear that this is about scoring points, rather than a genuine attempt to solve conflict in the region.  "The Liberal Democrats have long advocated a two-state solution to this crisis. This starts by bringing both Israel and Palestine to the negotiating table as equal partners. This is the only hope of achieving a workable settlement."

Tory proposals to end free movement will make it harder to recruit teachers, nurses and doctors

Responding to the publication of the Migration Advisory Committee report which has advised against against a full points-based system for UK, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Christine Jardine said:

“The Conservative Government wants to impose an entirely new immigration system in less than 12 months, without any proper consultation and managed by the discredited Home Office. That is a recipe for disaster.

"The Conservatives’ proposals to end free movement will make it harder for our schools and NHS to hire the teachers, nurses and doctors they need.

“As the Migration Advisory Committee makes clear, these plans will make the crisis in social care even worse. They will also mean huge amounts of extra costs and bureaucracy for thousands of British businesses. No amount of spin will change that fact.

“Liberal Democrats recognise the enormous contributions people who move to the UK make to our society, our economy and our communities. We are fighting for a fair, effective immigration system that treats everyone with dignity and respect.”

Davey calls for 'Net Zero' department to slash UK greenhouse gas emissions

Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey has today called for a new governmental department to get the UK to Net Zero as soon as possible. In comments today at the Institute for Government, Ed Davey said the new department would take on all the powers of the previous Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) but would have "much more teeth and responsibility", with influence over transport, housing and finance. Speaking at the Institute for Government today, Ed Davey, Acting Leader of Liberal Democrats said: “When Liberal Democrats ran the Department for Energy and Climate Change we managed to more than treble Britain’s renewable power and led Europe to adopt tougher climate change targets. As the world is waking up to the threat of the climate emergency, DECC is needed more than ever. “But rather than building on the work we did, the Conservatives abolished the Department. And alongside it they halted progress in its tracks, banning onshore wind, abolishing zero carbon homes and privatising the Green Investment Bank. “If Britain is to regain a leading role ahead of hosting this year’s UN conference on climate change, we must make action on climate change a much higher priority. Liberal Democrats are calling for a new government Department – a Department for Net Zero. It would have the power and responsibility to transform our country and to take tough but necessary decisions on transport, housing and finance. “If the Tories fail to do that, they are simply not serious about tackling the climate emergency.”

UK access to crime databases at risk post Brexit

Following reports that the exchange of key security information is at risk post Brexit, due to concerns over Britain’s record in protecting personal information, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Christine Jardine said:

“Our police rely heavily on co-operation with our EU partners to identify criminals and bring them to justice. It’s incredibly alarming that these government scandals threaten to undermine that co-operation, making us all less safe.

“We already know that some EU countries will refuse to extradite their citizens to the UK under the European Arrest Warrant after Friday. Now there’s a real danger that our police will also lose access to EU-wide crime databases next year.

“Liberal Democrats will fight to maintain these vital cross-border tools that keep us all safe. The Government must prioritise as close a security and justice partnership as possible, as part of our future relationship with the EU.”

New visa is nothing more than a Tory gimmick

Responding to the Government's announcement of a "Global Talent" visa to attract top scientists, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Christine Jardine said:

“This announcement is nothing more than a marketing gimmick. Boris Johnson is showing that he fundamentally doesn’t understand what makes our science sector so successful. Changing the name of a visa and removing a cap that’s never been hit is not a serious plan.

“Science relies on thousands of researchers, and this announcement does nothing for the vast majority of them. If the Government is serious about championing UK science, it must prioritise continued mobility as part of our future relationship with the EU.

“The Government’s new immigration system is due to come into force in less than 12 months, and we still have no idea what it will look like. UK employers, individuals and families urgently need certainty about what the rules will be next year.”

Tories’ headline-grabbing gestures on knife crime have clearly failed

Responding to the new official crime statistics, released today, which show knife crime continuing to rise to a new record high, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said:
 
“These statistics are heart-breaking. Far too many young people are having their lives destroyed by knives and gangs. We urgently need to break the grip of this epidemic of serious violence.
 
“The Conservatives’ approach has clearly failed. Their huge surge in suspicion-less Stop and Search is wasting police time and undermining crucial trust in communities, while knife crime continues to rise.
 
“Instead of the Tories’ pointless headline-grabbing gestures, Liberal Democrats are arguing for an evidence-based approach that will actually make our communities safer. That means more police, more youth services and a proper public health approach to serious violence.”

Lib Dems launch child refugee lobbying campaign

The Liberal Democrats have launched a national lobbying campaign urging Conservative MP’s to “restore public faith in politics” and back amendments in the House of Commons to protect the rights of EU citizens and child refugees in the UK.   The campaign was launched after Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords handed Boris Johnson his first parliamentary defeat since the election by passing three amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill, including on the rights of EU citizens and child refugees in the UK.   The amendments will now return to the House of Commons today. Despite No 10 confirming Conservative MPs will be whipped to overturn the defeats, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine has penned an open letter to Conservative MPS urging them to “vote in line with commitments made in your own manifesto” and back the amendments.   Party officials are also mobilising their 100,000 strong members and supporters base by urging them to write and tweet their MPs to back the amendments.    Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said:   “EU citizens living in the UK are our friends and our families, our carers and our colleagues. But they have been living under a cloud of uncertainty ever since the referendum.   “All Liberal Democrats are asking from Conservative MPs is to vote in line with commitments made in their own manifesto and protect the rights of millions of people who contribute so much to our society, our economy and our communities.   “It is heart-breaking, frankly, that Conservative MPs are also expected to vote against offering sanctuary to child refugees. These are children who have been forced to flee their homes and separated from their families.   “Boris Johnson talk’s about bringing the country together, but his approach seems designed to divide it even further. I am hoping there at least some Conservative MPs left who will search their conscience and back these amendments today.”

Lib Dem peers win vote to protect child refugees

Liberal Democrat peers today helped to inflict another defeat on the Conservative Government in the House of Lords, this time on a vote to protect child refugees.
 
By 300 to 220, the House of Lords passed an amendment to the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill to maintain the rights of unaccompanied refugee children elsewhere in Europe to be reunited with their family members in the UK.
 
This marks the fourth government defeat on the Bill, after the Lords passed three amendments yesterday: one moved by Liberal Democrat peer Jonny Oates to guarantee the rights of EU citizens living in the UK, and two to prevent Ministers from instructing lower courts to ignore legal precedent.
 
The Bill is set to return to the House of Commons tomorrow, when the Conservative Government is expected to try to overturn these amendments – against opposition from Liberal Democrat MPs.
 
Following the vote, Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Hamwee, who argued for the amendment in the House of Lords, said:
 
“Liberal Democrats will not stand by while the Conservative Government uses Brexit to undermine the UK’s proud tradition of providing sanctuary to some of the world’s most vulnerable people.
 
“I am proud that Liberal Democrat peers have, along with the tireless campaigner Lord Dubs, passed this crucial amendment to uphold our commitments to child refugees.
 
“I hope that MPs will resist government pressure to overturn today’s vote in the House of Commons.”

Tories’ new counter-terror plans undermine civil liberties

Responding to the Government’s announcement of new counter-terror legislation, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said:   “If you could stop terrorism by passing illiberal new laws, the Conservatives would have ended it ages ago.   “It’s less than a year since the Conservatives passed their last piece of unnecessary, reactionary legislation in the name of combatting terrorism, and they’re already proposing another one.   “We need policies based on evidence, not cheap headlines. Judges already have the power to lock up terrorists for life; tying their hands with mandatory minimum sentences simply won’t help. And polygraphs simply aren’t accurate or reliable enough for such critical decisions.   “Liberal Democrats will always stand up for human rights and civil liberties. We will continue to oppose authoritarian laws that do little to make us safer, but a lot to undermine essential British freedoms.”

PM must put child refugees above politics

Today Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, spoke at a rally for child refugees in Parliament Square, organised by the legal charity Safe Passage.   Commenting ahead of the crucial vote in the House of Lords to protect child refugees tomorrow, Ed Davey said:   “Today the Prime Minister said he wants to put people before passports, but he is wantonly taking rights away from refugee children. It is time Boris Johnson put children above politics.   “The Conservatives are preventing child refugees from being reunited with their families in the UK, turning away from our country’s proud history of offering sanctuary to people in need.   “Liberal Democrats are fighting for these children. We will vote to restore the protections for child refugees in Europe and have tabled new legislation to allow unaccompanied children in the UK to sponsor close family members to join them.”

Peers defeat government on vote to protect EU citizens’ rights

This afternoon, the Liberal Democrats defeated the Government on a vote in the House of Lords to protect the rights of EU citizens living in the UK.
 
The Lords passed an amendment to the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, moved by Liberal Democrat peer Jonny Oates, by 270 votes to 229. It would give EU citizens in the UK the automatic right to stay, rather than having to apply to the Home Office, and would ensure they can get physical proof of their rights.
 
Following the vote, mover of the motion and Liberal Democrat Peer Jonny Oates said:
 
"This amendment simply seeks to uphold the promise repeatedly made by Boris Johnson that the rights of EU citizens to remain in the UK would be automatically guaranteed. 

"It would remove the risk that those who failed to meet the cut off deadline would be automatically criminalised and subject to deportation. 

“It was very disappointing to see the Conservatives vote against protecting the rights of millions of people who contribute so much to our society, our economy and our communities.

“Liberal Democrats will always champion the rights of EU citizens in the UK and hold the Conservative Government to account for the promises they’ve made.”
 

Lib Dems pay tribute to Lord Robert Maclennan

 
Lord Robert Maclennan of Rogart, known as Bob Maclennan, was the last leader of the Social Democrat Party before it merged with the Liberal Party. He then became joint interim leader of the new party. 
 
Bob Maclennan was a Member of Parliament from 1966 to 2001. Upon stepping down as MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, Bob Maclennan was elevated to the House of Lords. 
 
Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey said:
 
"It is with great sadness that we learn our friend and colleague Bob Maclennan has died.
 
"Bob was the kind of politician we all strive to be. Considerate, honest and hardworking with an uncanny ability to reach out across the political spectrum to find common ground.
 
"He was also a great servant, over many decades, to his Highland constituents. A passionate advocate of devolution, he campaigned tirelessly for the creation of the Scottish Parliament and wider constitutional reform. 
 
"As Liberal Democrats, we also pay him a huge dept of gratitude. It was his determined leadership and bravery that proved critical in the formation of the movement we know today. 
 
“I personally owe a huge debt to Bob. He advised me through my own career and was a real source of strength and encouragement. His love of the arts and his commitment to a fairer society shone through so many of our conversations.
 
"Bob made our politics and our country better. He will be sadly missed and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends."

Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, Dick Newby, added:

“Bob Maclennan was passionate about Europe, constitutional reform and social justice. He saw them all as interconnected and pursued them with energy and determination throughout his political career. I worked with him for almost 40 years and will miss him greatly.”

Ministers must explain to Parliament why HS2 costs have soared

Responding to a Government report, seen by the Financial Times, which warns HS2 could soar to £106bn alongside the West Midlands to Manchester and Leeds link being put on hold for six months, Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson Munira Wilson said:  “HS2 is a vital project for reducing our carbon emissions and unlocking the economic potential of the North, but Ministers should not be given a blank cheque.  “Taxpayers deserve to know how their money is being spent, but the suggestions of a ‘pause’ or cancellation of the northern section is exactly the wrong thing to do. Liberal Democrats will not allow the Tories to once again fail to invest in the North. “Ministers must now come before Parliament and make clear why these costs have soared and set out how the Government will seize control of the project.”

Chancellor must take blinkers off and pay attention to industry

Responding to the Chancellor's comments today, warning manufacturers that "there will not be alignment" with the EU after Brexit, Acting leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:

"Major industries across the country have time and again made clear that pan-European regulatory alignment has been a success in supporting the creation and retention of millions of jobs. 

"To risk all that in favour of narrow, ideological ends is a real slap in the face. It is the height of irresponsibility for which the British public will be forced to pay.

"Liberal Democrats will continue to oppose Brexit and hold this shambles of a Government to account. The Chancellor must take the blinkers off and pay attention to industry."

PM should seek to bring the country together

Responding to the Government’s plans to mark the UK leaving the EU on 31st of January, Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said:  “The Prime Minister should be seeking to pull the country together, not blowing the public’s money on inviting his mates around for a party.  “The 31st isn't a day of triumph. The reality is the Conservatives have set out a reckless approach to conclude our future relationship with the EU that could see the country straight off the no-deal cliff. “Liberal Democrats will continue to oppose Brexit. We believe people deserve better than a future where a Prime Minister willingly threatens jobs, the environment and the NHS.”

Lib Dems oppose Johnson's Parliamentary agenda

The Liberal Democrats have tabled an amendment to the Queen's Speech for debate on Monday 19 January. The amendment details the key reasons why Liberal Democrat MPs will oppose Boris Johnson's agenda for government, including: 

• failure to introduce ambitious plans to tackle the climate emergency; 
• failure to set out measures to tackle poverty and inequality;
• failure to protect human rights or to strengthen the voice of citizens.  

The amendment also urges Government to introduce a system of proportional representation. 

Speaking ahead of Monday's debate, Ed Davey, Liberal Democrat Acting Leader, said: 

"The Liberal Democrats are determined to hold Boris Johnson's government to account. Our amendment is about doing just that: exposing the Prime Minister's failure to act on the most pressing issues facing the UK today. 

"The Tories' agenda not only lacks ambition when it comes to tackling the climate emergency, it fails to outline measures to reduce the poverty and deep inequality that threatens social cohesion and denies people the opportunity to succeed.

"Johnson's preoccupation with vanity projects - like getting Big Ben to 'bong' for Brexit - is yet more evidence that his priority is to massage his ego, not protect the national interest, or support families who are struggling. 

"We are determined to ensure that the millions of people who voted Liberal Democrat on 12 December have the strongest possible voice in Parliament - a voice pushing for real change, including reform of our electoral system, to ensure that every vote truly counts in the future."

Lib Dems call on PM to back automatic rights for EU citizens

The Liberal Democrats have called on the Conservative Government to back legislation to guarantee automatic rights for EU citizens, as new official statistics show the number not granted permanent Settled Status has risen to more than 1 million.

Liberal Democrat peer Jonny Oates this week tabled amendments to the Government’s Withdrawal Agreement Bill to automatically guarantee EU citizens’ rights in law.
 
The latest EU Settlement Scheme Statistics, published yesterday by the Home Office, show that more than 1 million EU citizens have now been given the weaker “Pre-Settled Status”. This means that they will have to reapply for the right to stay in the UK within 5 years, while a further 16,000 have not been granted either status.

The figures show that, as of the end of 2019, just 1.43 million of the estimated 3.6 million EU citizens living in the UK have been granted Settled Status.

Responding to the figures, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said:
 
“EU citizens are our families and friends, our colleagues and carers. Boris Johnson promised to automatically guarantee their rights in law, but today’s figures show that his Government’s Settled Status scheme is anything but automatic.
 
“Unless the Government changes course, tens of thousands of EU citizens will be left without legal rights in less than 18 months – at risk of eviction, detention and deportation.
 
“Liberal Democrats are fighting for the rights of EU citizens. We are calling on Boris Johnson to honour his promise by backing our amendments next week.”