September 2019 - Mansfield & Ashfield Liberal Democrats

Lib Dems: ‘School Cuts’ data shows funding still an emergency

30th September 2019/in Hucknall, National, Sherwood /by Leon Duveen

Responding to the relaunch of the National Education Union’s ‘School Cuts’ website, which reveals that more than 15,000 schools will have less money per pupil in real terms in 2020 than they did in 2015, Liberal Democrat Shadow Education Secretary Layla Moran said:

“The Conservatives continue to fail our children. This data removes the wool that Boris Johnson tried to throw over our eyes – that he is making parents and teachers wait for the money their schools desperately need.

“Whilst he peddles catchy soundbites, teachers are still faced with impossible decisions on which support staff to cut or which basic supplies not to buy.

“The money in the Spending Round won’t reach all schools until next September. Even then, it will probably take until around 2022 for the cuts since 2015 to be reversed. That’s seven years wasted – the length of time a child is at primary school.

“Liberal Democrats demand better for our children’s futures. We need an emergency cash injection this year to reverse school cuts, so that teachers have the resources they need to help their pupils succeed in life.”

What a day!

24th September 2019/in Hucknall, Sherwood /by Leon Duveen

I have followed politics in the country for over 50 years, my first political memory is of Harold Macmillan resigning and the Earl of Home having to renounce his peerage and become Sir Alec Douglas-Home so he could be the next Prime Minister.

In all those years I can not remember a day like today, when the current Prime Minister has been found to have give the Queen not just misleading but illegal advice and ridden roughshod over the accepted conventions & laws that make up our Constitution.

While the Judges of the Supreme Court went to great lengths to say the circumstances have been unique, their ruling will have a lasting effect to boost the standing of Parliament and their ability to hold an overbearing Executive, especially one that cannot command a majority to account.

As for Boris Johnson, he seems doomed to be the shortest serving Prime Minister of the UK, beating the 118 days George Canning served in 1827. He is bereft of ideas, bereft of thought out policies, bereft of political friends. His all consuming ambition to be Prime Minister has lead him to be the willing tool of those who want to protect their wealth in off-shore accounts and get even richer by picking over the bones of the British Economy after a “No Deal” Brexit.

Hopefully we will have a General Election soon and we can rid this country of the spivs who are currently in power.

Swinson: Corbyn is a Brexiteer at heart

23rd September 2019/in Hucknall, Jo Swinson, National, Sherwood /by Leon Duveen

Responding to the news from Labour Party conference that it would not back Remain in a People’s Vote, under the guidance of Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Jo Swinson said:

“Jeremy Corbyn has again shown a total lack of leadership on Brexit and settled on yet another fudge on the biggest issue facing our country. Jeremy Corbyn has repeatedly had the opportunity to put the full force of the Labour behind a Remain position, but he has once again shown today that he is a Brexiteer at heart.

“He is determined to negotiate a Brexit deal if Labour win an election, despite all the evidence that there is no Brexit deal that is good for our economy, our NHS and our security. By refusing to say how the Labour Party would campaign in a second referendum, Jeremy Corbyn is letting down the millions of people who want to see the UK remain in the EU.

“The Liberal Democrats are the only main party going into the next election promising to end the Brexit chaos. If the Liberal Democrats win the next general election, then we will use that democratic mandate to revoke Article 50 on day one and stop Brexit.”

Scrapping Ofsted must be the beginning of the end of teaching to the test

22nd September 2019/in Hucknall, Sherwood /by Leon Duveen

Responding to today’s announcement by the Labour Party that they will campaign to abolish Ofsted, Liberal Democrat Shadow Education Secretary Layla Moran MP said:

“It is always good to see the Labour Party copying another key Lib Dem education promise, just as they followed us in calling for SATs to be scrapped, here they are trailing in behind again.

“The Conservatives’ high stakes testing regime is hurting our children. SATs and Ofsted inspections are causing stress and anxiety for pupils and teachers, even though they mean nothing for a child’s life chances.

“Ofsted lost the trust of the teaching profession long ago. We need an inspection system that parents and teachers can trust, supporting schools to succeed rather than punishing them for failure.

“But Angela Rayner must go further. We must end teaching to the test – which is why Liberal Democrats want to scrap league tables in their current form. Parents should be able to see the full picture of how their school is doing, not just how well Year 6 pupils do in a week of English and Maths tests.

“Liberal Democrats demand better for our children. They should come home from school happy, healthy and with the skills they need to succeed in life – not just as children who know how to pass exams.”

Thoughts on the Lib Dem Conference

21st September 2019/in Conference, Hucknall, National, Sherwood /by Leon Duveen

I couldn’t make Conference this year because of work commitments but I did manage to catch some of it on BBC Parliament. Watching the debate on Europe on Sunday morning was definitely a highlight, including the fantastic speech 13 year old Niamh O’Connell from Reading. You can watch the debate here from 3:06:00 (Niamh’s speech is from 3:22:00)

However Conference, like the Lib Dems, is about much more than Brexit. The debates covered a wide range of issues. from Railways to the removing the Home Secretary power to remove British Citizenship; from tackling Climate Change to supporting tourism in the UK. You can read all the motions passed in Bournemouth on the main Lib Dem Website.

Obviously, Jo Swinson’s first speech to Conference (from 4:24:00) as leader was eagerly anticipated and she didn’t let us down. Electrifying and clear, she laid out just why she has the ambition to lead us back into Government, even be the Government in the near future.

You can tell how scared both the Tories & Labour (as well as the other extremist parties) are of Jo by the level of vitriol and lies being aimed at her and the Lib Dems. We must be brave and hold firm to our principle so when the General Election comes (and come it will either later this year or early next year) we will reap the benefits of being the one Party with a clear, understandable and defendable position of how to take the UK forward and out of the Brexit mess.

We should be in the Commons, not at Conference

17th September 2019/in Hucknall, Sherwood /by Leon Duveen

Liberal Democrat members have passed an emergency motion calling on the Conservative Government to recall Parliament immediately so that it can sit until Article 50 is extended.

The motion demands that Boris Johnson asks the Queen to revoke the prorogation order, and states that future decisions about when Parliament sits should be handed to MPs.

Liberal Democrat members have also reaffirmed their commitment to a package of reforms that would make the Government more accountable. These include giving a House Business Committee control of the Order Paper and ensuring a new Prime Minister has to win a vote of confidence before they take office.

The motion renews the Liberal Democrats’ campaign for proportional representation in elections and an elected House of Lords.

Speaking after the motion was passed, Liberal Democrat Stop Brexit Spokesman Tom Brake MP said:

“Boris Johnson has shut down democracy and silenced people’s voices in the middle of the biggest crisis in recent history.

“MPs should be in Parliament, holding the Tory Government to account, and stopping them from trying to force the country into a disastrous no-deal Brexit. It is absurd that it may take a Supreme Court ruling to allow MPs to do their job.

“An unelected Prime Minister, with no majority, cannot be allowed to trample over our democracy. That is why Liberal Democrats have passed this motion, calling for parliament to be immediately recalled. Liberal Democrats will continue to stand up for the people.”

Lib Dem membership rises to over 120,000

6th September 2019/in Hucknall, Sherwood /by Leon Duveen

The Liberal Democrats have today announced that there are now 120,845 members of the party.

A further 17,102 people have registered as ‘supporters’.

Commenting on the highest ever membership figures for the party, Liberal Democrat Leader Jo Swinson said:

“I’m delighted that we have reached another significant milestone in our membership.

“More and more people are joining the Liberal Democrats, and showing their commitment to stopping Brexit.

“We are an open, inclusive and progressive party that is growing in Parliament and across the country.

“I welcome all those who have joined us and share our liberal values.”

Archive for month: September, 2019