Barnet Liberal Democrats are thrilled to welcome Cllr Helene Richman (West Hendon) to the Liberal Democrats as of this week. She is a fabulous and relentless campaigner for West Hendon residents, and will be re-standing in the ward so she can carry on her outstanding work on behalf of all residents.
Responding to the news that the government is pressing ahead with plans to privatise Channel 4, Liberal Democrat Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Spokesperson Jamie Stone said:
Message from Lord Chris Rennard: Today, I and my fellow Lib Dem Peers will be voting against many aspects of the truly terrible Nationality and Borders Bill. Brian Paddick has been leading brilliantly on this. This is his summary of issues we want to oppose in any votes today: Depriving people of their UK citizenship without telling them Criminalising everyone who makes it to the UK border and then claims asylum Criminalising those rescuing drowning migrants in the English Channel Requiring non-UK or Irish citizens, moving between Northern Ireland and the Republic, to have an electronic visa, even if they live on the island of Ireland Allowing those who push-back migrant boats in the Channel to have legal immunity, even if people drown as a result Allowing the Bill to 'reinterpret' the UN Refugee Convention, effectively overruling it Denying genuine refugees their rights if they don't come via (almost non-existent) Government resettlement schemes Not allowing asylum seekers to work, if the Home Office t
Chesterfield Lib Dems would like to send our warmest wishes to all those observing the holy month of Ramadan here in Chesterfield.
Lucy is proud to have grown up in Heswall and has the desire to help and do the best for her local community.
Responding to the leaked news that Government planned to ditch banning conversion therapy and its almost immediate partial U-turn, Paul O'Neill, Diversity Officer for Medway Liberal Democrats said: "Once again the Conservative Government has shown its lack of interest and understanding on the issues impacting LGBT+ people through its unwillingness to end the dangerous and abusive practice of conversion therapy, only instigating a partial U-turn when they realised the extent of the public and MP support for the ban. However, the fact that the Conservatives have refused to ban the practice in relation to trans people is appalling and further evidence that the Government sees trans people as second-class citizens."
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and spokesperson for Energy Security and Net Zero, called on the government to provide incentives for energy providers to develop solar power in the UK.
Mrs Hobhouse slammed the government for falling behind on meeting the UK’s renewable targets for solar energy capacity. The government plans to deploy 70 GW of solar power across the country by 2035. However, as of 2022, the UK had only installed 14.3 GW of solar pv.
Following a visit to a rooftop solar system installed by Bath & West Community Energy (BWCE) at Beechen Cliff School last year, Wera Hobhouse is keen to encourage the development of similar solar projects across Bath. The solar system is predicted to significantly cut the school’s fuel costs and reduce their carbon emissions by 52 tonnes a year.
In the House of Commons on the 27th February, the Bath MP noted that the UK is lagging behind the rest of the world in renewable energy investment, she urged the government to offer incentives to energy providers to improve solar capacity.
However, Andrew Bowie, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Energy Security and Net Zero, ignored Hobhouse’s proposals, failing to describe the ways in which the government could incentivise solar energy. Instead, Bowie said that the government’s Solar Taskforce would publish recommendations for solar power and reiterated the government’s target to deploy 70 GW by 2035.
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and spokesperson for Energy Security and Net Zero, commented:
“The Conservatives are falling dangerously behind on meeting our targets for renewable energy production. It is no good the government setting an ambitious 70 GW solar target if they are nowhere near reaching it.
“It is clear that they have no plan to get us back on track to reach Net Zero. Evidently, they are more than happy to dismiss perfectly good proposals like incentivising solar power. That is why I am so proud that Bath is home to many community energy projects like the solar system at Beechen Cliff School, so that we can lead the way in renewables.”
“It is not just our climate targets harmed by the Conservatives’ delay. Families in Bath and across the country are struggling to pay soaring energy bills which investment in renewables could curb. That is why we Liberal Democrats would build significantly more renewable energy, aiming to generate 80% of our electricity from renewables by 2030.”
Peter Capener, Managing Director of Bath & West Community Energy said:
“Our work with schools is really demonstrating the value of community energy in both addressing the climate crisis and reducing fuel bills. Rooftop solar installed last year has already saved local schools a combined total of £134,209 and has reduced carbon emissions by 224.3 tonnes, which is equivalent to 12,173 journeys from Bath to Edinburgh by train!”
