Displaying items by tag: Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has called on the UK to negotiate a new customs union with the EU by 2030, arguing it is the 'single biggest thing' the country can do to strengthen its economy. In his first major speech of the year, he urged the Government to replace the Conservative-brokered Brexit deal with one allowing freer movement of goods between Britain and the EU. He claims this approach would enable the UK to negotiate with a second Trump administration from a position of strength, reducing reliance on the US. He criticised Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage for prioritising US interests over Britain’s. Keir Starmer has pledged to deepen ties with the EU but has ruled out rejoining the customs union. The Government rejected Davey’s proposal, emphasising its commitment to avoid reopening Brexit divisions. Davey maintains that rebuilding ties with Europe is crucial for economic stability and security.

The Liberal Democrats have proposed free personal care for older or disabled individuals at home, alongside increased pay for care workers, aiming to alleviate the hospital crisis and enable people to remain in their homes. This plan, funded by reversing tax cuts for big banks, seeks to address the estimated £2.7bn cost by 2028-29. Independent experts suggest potential costs may exceed initial estimates. The party also aims to tackle the care worker shortage by introducing a carer's minimum wage and establishing a Royal College of Care Workers. Leader Sir Ed Davey, drawing from personal experience as a carer, emphasised the importance of this issue. The policy aims to support independence and dignity for individuals in need of care, echoing the system in Scotland. While welcomed by industry bodies, concerns remain about funding sufficiency and staffing shortages. Labour and the Conservatives have also proposed reforms to address healthcare and social care challenges.

Just days after Robert Flello, a practising Roman Catholic, was selected to stand for the Lib Dems for this week's general election, he was stood down and told by party officials that his views on abortion and same sex marriage, shared on social media, were ‘not those that would be expected of a liberal’ and it was therefore ‘not appropriate’ for him to represent them. Flello said, ‘Initially the Lib Dems told me that they were deselecting me for my views, then during the following week they gave me all sorts of other reasons and suggested that I retweeted a very aggressive tweet. But I have not done those things. So I can only conclude, in fact I'm absolutely convinced, that they are discriminating against me on the grounds of my faith.’