Category: News

The Liberal Party welcomes the impending intervention in British Steel to secure the Scunthorpe steel works.

The party believes that any government intervention or public ownership should only last as long as is necessary to find a private sector bidder willing to invest in the business and secure jobs.

Domestic steel production offers security of supply in an era of disrupted world trade and reduces the environmental impact of transporting steel from around the globe.

Furthermore, steel quality control is key to UK construction safety and the Liberal Party demands the 7 recommendations within the 2022 UK steel procurement taskforce report to be fully implemented.

The continuation of the UK steel industry also depends on controlling China’s dumping of steel and subsiding their own steel producers at the expense of other global producers.

The recent history of the UK steel industry also highlights the dangers of letting foreign owners, most recently China, control an industry in which they have only a short-term business interest.

The Liberal Party is pleased to be fielding the following candidates at the elections to be held on the 1st May.

Runcorn and Helsby by-election

Danny Clarke will be representing the party at the by-election on the 1st May.

Having gained valuable experience in the August 2024 general election the party is pleased to be able to support his nomination in the constituency.

Devon

The Liberal Party is pleased to be able to welcome Cllr Andrew MacGregor to the party.

Previously sitting as an Independent on Teignbridge District Council, he will be contesting the Teignmouth seat for the Devon County Council elections.

Worcestershire

The Liberal Party is pleased to announce that Cllr Fran Oborski MBE and Cllr Shazu Miah have crossed to our party and will be contesting seats at May’s local elections for Worcestershire County Council.

Cornwall

Cllr Paul Holmes and Cllr Jean Pollock have both been re-elected to the Carn Brea and Illogan Parish Council’s, whilst Cllr. Jay Latham has been re-elected to the St Mawgan-in-Pydar Parish Council.

Lincolnshire County Council, City of Lincoln

Within the Lincoln City Division Cllr Charles Shaw will be contesting the Ermine and Cathedral Division and Tinashe Chipawe the Carholme Division.

We would appreciate offers of support for candidates in these areas.

Promoted by Stephen Graham on behalf of the Liberal Party, 12 Dayworth Mews, Lundy Lane, Reading, RG30 2RR.

The Liberal Party notes with real concern the recent Spring Statement announced by the Chancellor.

The return to austerity via-a-vis public sector cuts (most notably cuts to welfare) the party deems as being completely and wholly unnecessary and thus a political choice borne out of incompetence.

The Chancellor announced on Wednesday, cuts to Welfare to the tune of £5 billion in order to bring down the Welfare budget and thus cut those people claiming benefits. However, the chancellor fails to realise that by shaving £5 billion off the welfare budget the chancellor is directly impacting those already on the margins of society.

Furthermore, the party notes that the prior budget in October and indeed the chancellors’ fiscal rules has inevitably lead to her having to return to austerity and thus cut public expenditure above and beyond what is necessary. She has essentially boxed herself in through own making!

The Liberal Party would have done a number of things differently in order to not only grow the economy but also reduce the number of those on welfare and thus increase the workforce.

Firstly, it would have reformed Welfare and indeed the tax system in order to increase the number of people in the workforce by simplifying the benefits system (only having three lots of welfare that people can claim). Moreover, it would have also increased the Personal Tax Threshold to at least £20K in order to ensure that work always pays. 

Secondly, it would have reformed the tax system by simplifying it in order to ensure both transparency and fairness. A notable example would have been to get rid of the National Insurance hike on employers by scrapping National Insurance all together and thus merging it with Income Tax. 

Thirdly, the party would have both levied as well as reformed certain taxes on those in society with the broadest shoulder who could have offered to pay so: Council Tax/Business Rates would have been replaced with a Land Value Tax, the Digital Services Tax would have been increased to 10%, the £4 billion bankers bonus tax would have been reinstated and finally, Income Tax and Capital Gains/Dividend Tax would have been equalised at the same rate.

Overall, the party notes that the statement was very disappointing with a real lack of long-term vision and indeed competency.

Kayed Al-Haddad
(The Liberal Party Economics spokesperson)

The Liberal Party notes resumed media speculation that the government is engaging with potential administrators prior to Thames Water being placed in administration.

Whilst the company is reported to have sufficient funds in the short term, the party believes it should be brought back into public ownership as quickly as possible to reduce uncertainty and to protect consumers and the environment.

The company’s current and previous owners should be bailed into any recovery plan to reduce taxpayers’ exposure to the liabilities of a company with almost £18 billion in debt, having experienced over £7 billion in dividends extracted from the company over previous decades.

Under public ownership the water utility can re-invest in infrastructure and the supply of clean water without having to pay out unjustified dividends to predominantly foreign owners with no regard for the impact of their ownership.

Following the resignation from the House of Commons of the MP for Runcorn and Helsby there will now be a parliamentary by-election.

Danny Clarke who stood in the constituency at the general election for The Liberal Party has accepted the party nomination to contest the seat.

“I believe that Runcorn & Helsby needs a strong Liberal voice. In this election we are the only centre ground party that believes in sensible and responsible policies that will benefit all in the constituency.
People are worried about the cost of living or the most vulnerable having benefits cut. I will push this government to help get those who can work into work and protect the most vulnerable from unnecessary cuts. As a liberal I believe people should be free from poverty.”

“I was born in Crewe before living in Winsford and then when I turned 13, I moved to Runcorn. I have now lived in Runcorn for 24 years.”

Dan Clarke
The Liberal Party Candidate

On the 26th March the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) will publish a an Economic and Fiscal Forecast for the year as the Chancellor makes a supporting statement to parliament.

The Liberal Party believes that if the government is to fulfil its of stated aim of creating economic prosperity, funding public service and reducing public debt it needs to recognise the part played by small business in our local communities.

We believe that the imposition of an increase in Employer NI contributions has already created adverse trading conditions for all business, slowed economic activity and curtailed recruitment.

To support the small business sector, we would advocate:

Raising the VAT threshold to £150k to enable businesses to get established before being faced with the disproportion burdens of tax administration.

Business Rates should be replaced with a Land Value Tax and simplified so that the business rates regime aligns with the costs of a small bushiness locally, not as a revenue stream.

Providing small business with advice and training via local business hubs and better financial support.

Liberal Party leader Cllr Steve Radford recently visited both Old Swan and Breck Road Post Offices in Liverpool with his colleague Alan Tormey.

There was a nonstop flow of customers, and as so many bank branches are closing it is vital to save these facilities. The party also sees an opportunity to utilise local churches to deliver banking services as is done at All Hallows Centre in Allerton.

Please sign the 38 Degrees online petition https://act.38degrees.org.uk/act/keep-post-offices-open calling for the withdrawal of plans to close 115 Post Offices.

Allan Tormey’s letter to concerned parties addressing the potential closures of Crown Post Offices in Liverpool, particularly Old Swan and Breck Road, can be read here.

Merseyside Liberal Party Reporter covering the Post Office campaign – click here.

he Liberal Party notes with disappointment the decision of the government to decline to hold a public enquiry into child sexual exploitation in Greater Manchester and to instead pass the responsibility back to Oldham Council to conduct their own inquiry.

The Jay enquiry into sexual abuse in Rotherham covered similar ground but largely seems to have been ignored or glossed over in the 27 months since its publication and recommendations made in the report have yet to be fully implemented.

The Jay report specifically identified ‘predominantly men of Pakistani heritage’ being involved in such activity.

The Liberal Party would support a root and branch judge led statutory enquiry in England (which gives the power to compel witnesses) into the whole issue titled:

Child Sexual Exploitation from 1997 to Date.

Including within its remit would be the response of :

Councils
Police
Crown Prosecution Service(CPS)
Social Services
The courts – family and criminal.
Other child focussed bodies – schools and the NSPCC

The full enquiry would potentially take years but an interim report to be published within 18 months into the current situation with interim recommendations, would not be unachievable.

The Liberal Party believes that the removal of the Assad regime in Syria offers an opportunity for the creation of a self-governing Kurdish region including Syria, Iraq, Iran and Turkey.

We recognise that the Kurdish regions include mixed communities, and those nations mentioned are unlikely to ever not concede independence. However, we urge them to support devolution in their territories in order to promote stability and dignity for all their communities. 

We urge all governments to show restraint in facing the expansion and aggression being pronounced by President Erdogan of Turkey. The course of stability and participation of the Kurdish region of north and east Syria will be undermined by Turkish aggression and could lead to the release of thousands of ISIS prisoners.

We hope that a Kurdish nation will emerge in due course, but we believe that limited autonomy, which can be done without full independence, is a reasonable starting point.

The Liberal Party wishes to be seen as the party for small business and is proud to be launching its Small Business Big Communities Policy Initiative.

Small and micro business, not for profit organisations and charities should be at the heart of our communities to create economic activity, prosperity and employment.

We would welcome feedback from small business owners, people in the charity sector and others within this sector to enhance our policy initiative.

This includes a 4-point plan to support them to reach their full potential within our communities.

The full document can be accessed from here.