Sat 3rd May 2008:

Elizabeth Shenton stands for Crewe Nantwich.

Elizabeth Shenton is the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Crewe & Nantwich by-election.She has had a successful career working for two of the country’s largest banks, where she has also played a leading role in ensuring effective trade union representation for staff.Elizabeth Shenton has a strong record of achievement both as a councillor and as an active supporter of animal welfare and community groups.As the new MP, Elizabeth Shenton will work to cut crime, improve schools and protect the character and environment of Crewe and Nantwich.You can find out more about Elizabeth Shenton on her website, www.elizabethshenton.com and on Facebook. You can also follow her on Twitter.To help her campaign, please come to the Campaign HQ or make a donation online.

Thu 1st May 2008:

Elections 2008: results summary.

Results summary: Projected national share of the vote (BBC)Conservative 44%Liberal Democrat 25%Labour 24%Council controlThe Liberal Democrats retained control of:CambridgeEastleighLiverpoolNewcastleRochdale South LakelandStockportThree RiversWatfordLiverpool was Labour’s number one target.  The council composition is now Lib Dem 46, Labour 39, Liberals 3, Greens 2  (total 90).The Liberal Democrats gained control of:BurnleyHullSt AlbansSheffieldThe Liberal Democrats lost control in Pendle and West Lindsey. Following these elections Liberal Democrats are just one seat short of overall control in Oldham (4 gains), Warrington (1 gain) and Cheltenham (3 gains).Liberal Democrats will continue to be the largest party in Cardiff (2 gains), Sefton (1 gain),  North East Lincolnshire (1 gain) and are now also the largest party in Derby (5 gains), Wrexham (3 gains), Exeter (1 gain) and on the new Northumberland unitary authority.Councillors electedLiberal Democrats made 137 gains in these elections four years ago and have successfully defended those gains. We will have over 4,200 council seats. The BBC's figures for seat changes are:: Conservative  +256Liberal Democrats +34Labour  -331LondonBrian Paddick finished third, with 10% of the first preferences, and three Liberal Democrats were elected to the London Assembly (down two).Other coverageHighlights of the results are available on Liberal Democrat Voice.Map and commentsVisit our interactive map page for highlights from around the country and the chance to send us your views (a selection of which appear below).Your comments .petitionComments{} .petitionComment{} .petitionHeader{font-weight: bold;} .petitionContent{}

Fri 9th May 2008:

Government failing to grasp the seriousness of flooding - Webb.

Commenting on today’s [Wednesday] Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee report on last summer’s flooding, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, Steve Webb said: "This report shows that the Government is failing to grasp the seriousness of the situation. With severe floods likely to become more common due to climate change, we need a real strategy and real investment to protect high-risk areas. "Current funding is totally inadequate. The ABI, the Government’s own Foresight report and the agency responsible for flood defences are all calling for spending to be increased to £1bn, but their advice is falling on deaf ears. "The £200m increase the Government announced last year does not stand up to scrutiny when inflation and rising costs in the building trade are taken into consideration. It is too little to cope with the increasing risks the country faces, and doesn’t even come fully into effect for another two years. "The £34.5 million the Government has set aside to implement the recommendations in the interim Pitt Review looks like the money they’ve got left over. The Government has failed to provide any details about how this money will be spent, or about how the Pitt Review will be funded in the future. "The report also reveals that no one is responsible for protecting people and properties from surface water, which caused around two-thirds of the flooding last summer. "It is time for the Government to clarify who is responsible and ensure that all sources of flooding are properly addressed, so that thousands of people are saved from a repeat of the misery still being suffered by so many after last year’s floods."

Government's strategy on data protection a shambles - Alexander.

Commenting on reports that staff at the Department for Work and Pensions have been sending out highly sensitive data in packages that include the passwords, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Danny Alexander said: "The Government’s strategy for protecting citizens’ personal information is a shambles. "We’ve had mislaid CDs, lost laptops and now passwords are being circulated with the information they are supposed to protect. "Data protection is being undermined across Whitehall - the very idea that this Government could be responsible for an ID card database is a joke."

Repossessions on course to be highest since 1991 - Cable.

Commenting on the 17% rise in repossession orders in the past year in England and Wales, announced today by the Government, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: "The number of families threatened with repossessions is on course to be the highest since 1991, at the height of the Tory recession. "Repossession claims have skyrocketed since last year. Many families could well end up losing their homes in the months ahead. "The Prime Minister's pride and stubbornness has made him completely unwilling to recognise the dangers in the housing market. It is overstretched households that will pay the price.   "This Government must stop having vague discussions with mortgage lenders and instead clearly lay out the procedures which must be followed before a property can be repossessed. "Repossession must only ever be a last resort. Lenders must seek all possible alternatives before taking such action."

Darzi's pledges no more than vacuous spin - Lamb.

Commenting on Lord Darzi’s five NHS pledges that were published today [Friday], Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "These pledges are nothing more than vacuous spin. "This document talks about change being locally led, yet the Government has already ordered all Primary Care Trusts to open a polyclinic, regardless of any local need for one. "No amount of desperate dressing-up can conceal the fact that the forthcoming Darzi report is set to ride roughshod over the wishes and needs of many local areas."

Thu 8th May 2008:

Royal Mail left to fall apart at the seams - Teather.

Commenting on the announcement that Royal Mail's profits have fallen by almost a third, Liberal Democrat Shadow Business Secretary, Sarah Teather said: "It's no coincidence that news of Royal Mails plummeting profits comes just a day after the Government's own review body said that liberalisation of the market has produced no benefit. "The Government has allowed this great British business to fall apart at the seams. Royal Mail can be turned around, but only if it is given the freedom to innovate and attract new customers. "Unlike its private sector competitors, Royal Mail has been starved of investment. Selling off 49% of Royal Mail's shares would release the cash needed to modernise the business, without having to ask taxpayers to pick up the bill."

Penny drops for ministers after 12,000 ASBOs - Huhne.

Commenting on Jacqui Smith's speech, in which she called for early intervention to tackle the first signs of problem behaviour, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: "The penny has finally dropped with evidence-immune ministers that ASBOs should only be used as a last resort. They are far more costly and less effective than alternatives such as Acceptable Behaviour Contracts, pioneered by Liberal Democrat councils. "It has taken ten years and more than 12,000 ASBOs for ministers to recognise their mistake." Notes   1. New ASBOs fell from 4,123 in 2005 to 2,706 in 2006, a drop of 35%. Wider anti-social behaviour tools such as Acceptable Behaviour Contracts were up 258% from 2003-4 to 2006-7. 2. Only last month, in the run up to the 2008 local elections, Labour campaigned on the fact that 'Labour-controlled Manchester [Council] issued over twice as many [ASBOs] as nearby Lib Dem Liverpool.' http://www.labour.org.uk/safer_cleaner_streets

Government clueless about cutting travel costs or emissions - Baker.

Commenting on today’s [Thursday] Tandberg report, which shows that most Government departments are failing to reduce unnecessary travel or investigate green alternatives to flying, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: "This Government simply doesn’t understand how to cut carbon emissions or control costs. "Today’s report shows that basic steps are not being taken to reduce the need to travel. The taxpayer and the environment are paying the price for the Government’s extravagance. "Ministers clearly prefer jetting around the world to using less glamorous but more sustainable alternatives, such as video conferencing." Notes 1. The report found that: - There is a clear problem with government departments not recording travel adequately, with only four departments able to provide details on the number and cost of flights taken to overseas destinations in response to parliamentary questions. - Government departments do not routinely record the amount spent on travel, and rarely ask civil servants to justify their travel by stating that they have looked at alternatives such as tele or video conferencing - The Treasury spent over £1m on just 753 flights at an average cost of £1397 per flight in one year.

Government's failure to meet green targets astonishing - Webb.

Commenting on today’s [Thursday] Policy Exchange report, which shows the Government is likely to miss more than half of the green targets it has set since 1997, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, Steve Webb said: "For more than a decade, the Government has made big promises on the environment. Yet this report shows they have completely failed to deliver. "It is astonishing that even when the Government sets its own green targets, it consistently misses them. "It is vital that ministers stick to the targets in the Climate Change Bill to prevent looming climate chaos."

Government's top down management failed doctors - Gidley.

Commenting on today’s [Thursday] Health Select Committee report that criticises the Department of Health for ‘totally inadequate’ leadership in the 2007 crisis over junior doctor reforms, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson, Sandra Gidley said: "This was yet more botched project management from the Government coupled with poor leadership from doctors’ representatives. "It was an example of top down management having a dramatic effect on doctors’ lives. Nobody involved with the process came out covered in glory. "The chief medical officer should have taken more responsibility for his actions."

UK's failure in stroke care scandalous - Lamb.

Commenting on a report released today that reveals the UK is lagging behind other developed nations on stroke care and is far from meeting its targets, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "It is scandalous that, despite spending a lot more than other European countries on stroke care, UK recovery rates are so much worse. "Lives are being lost and recovery is severely impeded by the failure to act quickly enough to improve the service. "Despite the recent stroke strategy, it’s taking unacceptably long to modernise the service."

Local councils need the powers to tackle chronic bus delays - Baker.

Commenting on today’s Department for Transport statistics on bus punctuality, which show that one in six buses is late before it even starts its journey, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: "It’s a complete transport shambles that so many buses are late even before the journey starts. How will we persuade more people to use public transport if they can’t rely on it being on time?"Instead of providing a public transport system we can be proud of, this Government has presided over rising fares and poorer services. "The Local Transport Bill should give councils much more power over bus services than what is currently proposed."

Broadcasters and regulators failed to protect the public - Foster.

Commenting on the £5.67m fine for ITV over a spate of premium rate phone-in scandals announced today by Ofcom, Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Don Foster said:   "ITV should count itself lucky, as this fine could have been a lot bigger. Broadcasters and regulators both clearly failed to ensure that proper procedures were in place to regulate these phone lines and protect the public.   "Questions must be asked about why someone in the BBC loses their job for misrepresenting the Queen, but no one at ITV goes for conning the public.   "Restoring public confidence must be the priority. ITV is clearly seeking to do this and make amends through its donations to charity."  

Government has failed to tackle stigma surrounding mental health - Lamb.

Commenting on today’s survey by the Department of Health which shows that people with mental illness are still stigmatised in Britain, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: "The Government has failed to do enough to tackle the stigma surrounding mental health. "Mental illness remains a taboo in society, despite one in six people suffering from it during their lifetime. "What we really need is a joined up approach across Government, providing more therapies for people suffering from mental health problems alongside tougher enforcement of discrimination laws in workplaces."

DfT must ensure M25 won't turn out to be another Metronet fiasco - Baker.

Commenting on today’s Highways Agency announcement that it has chosen Connect Plus as its provisional preferred bidder for the new PFI deal to upgrade and manage the M25, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: “Ministers have clearly failed to learn the lessons of the Metronet fiasco. Let’s hope this project doesn’t end up wasting taxpayers’ money by turning into a similar disaster.  “Judging by the Department for Transport’s terrible financial record, they will be popping champagne corks in the board rooms of these companies tonight. “We already know that widening the M25 will be an environmental disaster, but it may well be heading for financial disaster as well.”

Wed 7th May 2008:

Government should not ignore drugs council advice - Huhne.

Responding to Jacqui Smith's announcement that she will ignore the advice of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs and upgrade cannabis to a class B drug, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:   "The crackdown on skunk farms makes sense, but it is crazy to ignore the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs by raising the maximum prison sentence for cannabis possession to five years.   "Cannabis use is falling, as is the incidence of psychosis. We need public education not public flagellation."

Post office closures deeply disappointing for Londoners - Teather.

Commenting on the Government's announcement that only seven out of the 169 London post offices earmarked for closure have been saved, Liberal Democrat Shadow Business Secretary, Sarah Teather said:   "Many people who fought hard against the Government's closure plans will be desperately disappointed to hear that their local post office is still set to be axed.   "There are already far fewer post offices per person in London than the rest of the country, yet the Government is pressing on with its unpopular closure plan regardless.   "The Government should be helping local post offices to develop their business rather than forcing more and more of them to go to the wall."

Government must justify spend on lie detectors - Alexander.

The Government today announced that £1.5m is to be spent on lie detector tests designed to stop benefit fraud, despite the fact that results of the pilot schemes have not been published. Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Danny Alexander said: "Before spending another £1.5m on more lie detector pilots, ministers should publish the evidence to show it does lower benefit fraud and is not another money wasting scheme. "Spending more taxpayers’ money must be justified with proof that lie detector technology is actually making a real difference. "Last year £530m was lost though officials making mistakes - it is astonishing that the Government has not published basic evidence before spending yet more public money."

Al Yamamah inquiry must be reopened not just reviewed - Clegg.

Responding to comments by BAE Systems Chairman Dick Olver's this morning that he would welcome a 'case review' of the Al Yamamah arms deal but does not think the case should be reopened, Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg said:    "If Dick Olver is so certain about the apparent faults of the Serious Fraud Office's case, why won't he support the completion of the inquiry?   "Of course BAE favours a review of the evidence currently available because the case was stopped at a critical point, but a full investigation would need to gather much more evidence before any decision on prosecution could be made.   "While ministers hold their noses and the Tories silently look the other way, the reputation and integrity of British industry remains sullied by unanswered questions about this murky affair.   "The Government should stop prevaricating and immediately reopen the case, not merely instigate a review. The SFO must be allowed to complete and publish its work and an independent inquiry set up to investigate whether any political pressure was brought to bear to drop the case." Notes Dick Olver told the Today programme this morning that:   "The new head of the SFO, at a time that is convenient for him, should assemble whatever QCs are needed, and I think they are, and do a case review.   "Not reopen the case - a case review to find out whether or not there really is a case that would have any chance of going anywhere in a court of law.   "My belief is that the answer to that question is that there is no chance of it and that Lord Goldsmith was right in the first place."

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