Author: Web Secretary

The Liberal Party expresses huge concern in regard to the withdrawal of U.S. and Allied troops and support staff from Afghanistan.

Once the Taliban had breached the terms of the U.S. led agreement for withdrawal, an immediate revoking of the withdrawal agreement should have been undertaken.

Allied forces had little option but to withdraw their troops to safety when US Air cover was withdrawn. The primary focus now had to become an evacuation effort.

The UK government was right to press the U.S. to delay their withdrawal to afford both them and allied forces more time to undertake a safe withdrawal including vulnerable staff and families who have worked with NATO forces.

Allied force governments also need to work with pro-democratic forces such as those in the Panjshir Valley, to establish alternative evacuation routes.

At home, we must welcome the returning troops who have been withdrawn in the most unwelcome circumstances. We must also hold out a hand of friendship to Afghani refugees, who have been forced to leave their homes in fear, for their part in supporting British efforts.

The Liberal Party believes the U.S. and allied forces were wrong to go into Afghanistan because regime change is not a permitted reason for invasion under international law. However, having gone in, an early departure following the defeat of Al Qaeda would have been appropriate.

The International community should concentrate its efforts on rescuing those who are vulnerable to reprisals by the Taliban regime.

Party President Steve Radford

We are saddened to report Liberal Party Cllr John Clark from Ryedale died on 11th August after being admitted to hospital with breathing difficulties. Our thoughts are with Cathy and family at this time.

Cllr Mike Potter, Ryedale’s new Liberal group leader, said it was a “devastating” loss to the community.

He said: “John’s been a stalwart of local politics for 40 years.”

“Everything he has ever done has been with honesty and integrity, and for the community, which is possibly something that you cannot say about a lot of politicians.”

Mr Potter said Cllr Clark would always fight “for the underdog” and was a farmer who fought to raise awareness of climate change.

He added: “He would never compromise, and he was a very clever man”

His cremation service will be held at Scarborough on 2nd September. 

Hi Liverpool City Councillors

We would respectfully request your support for this Parliamentary Petition along a cross-party basis as the issues addressed in the Parliamentary Petition affect each and every one of us irrespective of political party bias or persuasion. On 21 May we passed the first target of 10,000 signatures and a response is now awaited from the government to this petition, with your help and the help of your family, friends and constituents we may pass the second target of 100,000 signatures and get this very important issue debated in parliament. Hopefully you will all agree a response, a debate is not enough as we need action and only with your help, we will get MPs to vote with their consciences for this petition.

Please could you support and distribute amongst your members, constituents, families and friends the Parliamentary Petition we have raised to protect our Green Belt and Farm land. There is an abundance nationally of brownfield sites that have stood idle and neglected whilst greedy developers are on a daily basis aided by central government procuring green belt land and farm land which in turn is taking away some of our most wonderful and beautiful landscapes transforming them from natural green to concrete grey or asphalt black.

Our countryside is now disappearing at an alarming an accelerated rate diminishing and destroying natural wildlife habitat and consequently driving away our precious wildlife almost to extinction in some cases. The effect on climate change is also unprecedented and yet the government is not only allowing these destructive policies to continue but in a lot of cases where local residents and local authorities have refused planning permission for development on greenbelt land and farming land the minister for housing and communities has unilaterally overturned the democratic wishes and decisions of local residents and local authorities and allow Brownfield Sites to remain idle and unused.

A Government response to a Parliamentary Petition in 2017 with similar aims as in this petition, the following is an extract from that Government response to the 2017 petition; –

“We are also absolutely clear that Green Belt must be protected and that there are other areas that local authorities must pursue first, such as brownfield land and taking steps to increase density on urban sites.”

Four years almost to the day and the hypocrisy is evident for all to see with our Greenbelt Land and Farm Land being decimated by housing developments whilst Brownfield sites remain idle and unused.

This is why we must make this petition a success to overturn the destructive and hypocritical policies witnessed in the last four years and more.

Please support our petition so we may together try and hold (irrespective of political party bias) central government to account and hopefully look to a brighter and better future for both humans and nature. One Planet One Future is our choice to embrace.

We have inserted an attachment that can be distributed as a poster and there is a link below to the parliamentary petition to enable signing the petition.

Click this link to see and sign your petition and start sharing it: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/575169

 We will be grateful for your support and that of your partners, friends and associates.

Just as time is running out so is our countryside and wildlife.

Thank you for your support, Signing and Sharing

Antonio Bosky

Dear Liverpool Echo Editor,

Can we challenge the current cons4ensus that the Caller report was the font of all wisdom concerning the problems and abuse of power with Liverpool City Council.
Firstly, it underplays that effective scrutiny was undermined in that Senior Council officers who should have provided all Councillors adequate and timely information failed to do so.
Secondly, there was a consistent failure of senior council officers who had a legal responsibility to uphold the rights of opposition councillors failed to do so.
Lastly, that the ‘first past the post’ voting system gave an overwhelming and disproportionate power to a ruling party.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise we in the Liberal Party Group advocated that Liverpool City Council should move to a proportional voting system with single member wards complemented by a top up system as has been so effective in the London, Scots and Welsh Assemblies.
What should shock people is that the Lib Dem group which has since the Party was created in 1988 advocated for PR voted against.
Even more perverse the Green Party which days before the Mayoral Election said it would support a call for PR, voted against doing so.
Both the Lib Dems and greens argued that the time was not right because a Conservative Minister would not agree. So there we have it ,Greens and Lib Dems would prefer to vote down their own policies on the basis of what they believe a Conservative Minister would prefer

Cllr Steve Radford
Leader Liberal Party Group

The Liberal Party is proud to announce its list of candidates in this May’s regional and local elections.

Party President and city councillor Steve Radford will be contesting the mayoral election in Liverpool and well as standing for re-election in the Tuebrook and Stoneycroft ward.

The Liberal Party is standing 28 candidates across 27 wards in Liverpool include a by-election in Croxteth.

In the Sefton constituency Angela Preston will be contesting the Blundellsands ward. 

Byron Hadley is contesting the Bourton-on-the-Water and Northleach seat in the Cotswold division of Gloucester County Council.

In Cornwall Paul Holmes is seeking election in Four Lanes, Beacon & Troon and Paul Nicholson are contesting Ludgvan, Madron, Gulval & Heamoo within the unitary authority, whilst at a parish level 4 councillors have been re-elected with a further 5 gains all returned unopposed.

Within Lincolnshire County Council Charles Shaw is contesting the seat of Carholme and Jason Blackmore is contesting the seat of Washingborough having secured the parish seat on Bracebridge heath parish council uncontested.

John Edge is contesting the Hyde Godley Ward of the Tameside borough council.

Finally, Stephen Graham is contesting the Norcot Ward of Reading Borough council.

Help needed

If you are fit and able, please reach out to support candidates where possible. They will all need help with delivery, canvassing, election day activities and ballot count scrutiny. If you are able to help contact details can be supplied by the NEC team for individual candidates.

Covid-19 restrictions do inhibit the election campaign, but it is important that after a delay of a year in the electoral cycle we are able to offer the electorate a liberal alternative at the ballot box.

Cllr Radford has a proven track record with nearly 40 years dedicated service to the residents of Liverpool, 30 years experience as a personnel manager & 10 years as a manager of a dynamic community charity.

Our election address is accessible here:

Historic England think again – Open Letter:

Having been brought up on Rugby and having a profound disinterest in football I think I could be considered a more than objective member of the Planning Committee hearing the case by Everton to move to and develop the Bramley Moore dock site.

In the presentation, I was impressed that Everton was committing to invest in public transport at the Sandhills Station.

The call in by Historic England. I fear is totally the wrong approach. Most Northern cities are littered with listed buildings which are supposedly “protected”.

In reality, they are mothballed and allowed to deteriorate over time to the point of no return. The best way to actually preserve and open up Heritage sites is to adopt them to become commercially viable sites whilst at the same time enhancing the heritage features into a community use.

At Bramley Moore Dock the historic railway lines are to be kept and the hydraulic tower to be saved and developed as a visitor facility.

I hope the Secretary of State will take note this proposal was supported by all parties, Labour Liberals and Lib Dems, on the Planning Committee in dare I say a rare case of unanimity.

I would urge Historic England to actually take a more realistic approach to supporting historic sites being developed for a long term future and being opened up to the public rather than left to deterioration behind closed walls.

Cllr Steve Radford
Leader Liberal Party Group

Sir David Attenborough has worked throughout his adult life to keep us in touch with nature, he has identified the real dangers the planet will face in our immediate lifetime unless we change our ways of living, he has spelt out his vision and the realistic and achievable things we must do to save our planet and build a sustainable life for future generations. 

Read the book ‘A Life on Our Planet’ watch the video which has the same title on Netflix. 

Our time to take action is now!

The Liberal Party adopts his vision to guide the establishment of policies that support the delivery and promotion of practical solutions.

As we revise our green and environmental policies to reflect the current scientific consensus, come and join us, help us to make our planet a safe place for future generations and all species. 

Stephen Graham, NEC members and Liberal Party Nominating Officers were recently invited to give an interview on the party, its origins, policies and how it stands apart from other parties: