The Times website have tonight revealed that Lloyds has more than 125 offshore companies while Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has 238, including 66 in the Cayman Islands and 30 in Jersey.

RBS owns the Isle of Man bank that prints banknotes for the island and Coutts, which provides offshore services for wealthy private clients.

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for the Treasury, Lord Oakeshott called on ministers to disclose how much the banks’ offshore subsidiaries were costing taxpayers and said he would table parliamentary questions this week.

“The government should not put a penny more into these banks before they stop biting the hand that feeds them. Ministers need to face up to this issue now,” he said.

The use of tax havens by tax-payer-supported banks has recently been questioned by politicians overseas, including the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy.

Naturally, this latest news will lead to many more questions, and place our banking system under further scrutiny. However, there is no suggestion that the banks have broken any tax laws, and tax advisers say the proliferation of offshore subsidiaries is primarily for commercial reasons, including gaining access to different legal regimes for creditors.

Schools in North East Lincolnshire are winning the battle against truancy. 

New figures from the Department for Children, Schools and Families show that the number of pupils in our area who miss school is falling, bringing it in line with the national average. 

Overall absence numbers are going down, as is the number of pupils who are classed as persistent absentees – meaning they miss more than 30 days of school each year. 

Between 2007 and 2008, 438 of North East Lincolnshire’s 7,960 secondary school pupils (5.7 per cent) were classed as persistent absentees, who are responsible for more than a third of all absences. 

The national average is 5.6 per cent.

The previous year, 7.6 per cent of pupils were defined as persistent absentees, with 8.3 per cent of pupils falling into the category between 2005 and 2006. 

The rate of overall absence from secondary schools – which measures the percentage of half days missed – fell to 7.46 per cent between 2007 and 2008, compared with 8.68 per cent the previous year. 

The national average is 7.36 per cent. 

Recently, the Liberal Democrats reported that “two million more school days were lost this year due to truancy compared to 1997” – the Labour Government had failed to meet one of their major election pledges.  

Liberal Democrat Shadow Schools Secretary, David Laws said: “The truancy rate has rocketed under this Government and is continuing to rise.
 
“It is totally unacceptable that almost one in 10 pupils in their crucial GCSE year are regularly skipping school. These figures undermine any success the Government is claiming on truancy”.

Stephen Williams MP declares the Liberal Democrats the party of education

The Liberal Democrats have a longstanding and well deserved reputation as real champions of education. The Further and Higher Education paper which we will be debating at Spring Conference in Harrogate in a couple of weeks time gives us an opportunity to enhance this reputation and adopt new, radical and distinctive policies for the next election.

As an MP for a constituency with two universities and the country’s second largest FE college I appreciate first hand the importance of us making a clear statement of support for those in Further and Higher education. It is no secret that many of our held and target seats are in similar areas and I am confident that the package that the working group is proposing will give us a real electoral advantage.

Students in Further Education (FE) and Higher Education (HE) have been miserably failed by this government. Full-time undergraduates are leaving university saddled with enormous debts and those who might want to study part-time are being put off by the prospect of having to pay their fees up front. The Conservatives are promising only more of the same. We will show that there is an alternative.

The paper being debated at conference renews our commitment to scrapping tuition fees for full time students. With new graduates being saddled with at least £9k worth of debt from fees alone and facing a challenging job market in the current climate our fees policy has never been more needed. Our policy will ensure that nobody is put off going to university because of a fear incurring debts from fees.

But our proposal does not just stop there. It also rightly goes further than we have done previously; we are proposing to abolish fees for those part-time undergraduates and adults taking their first level three course. This is an important step forward in our policies, demonstrating our support for those learning in less traditional ways. Many people are not able to study full-time, or are studying in FE rather than HE, but this should not mean that they should be financially penalised.

In addition to abolishing fees for those studying part-time and those taking FE courses we will extend maintenance grants to adult FE students on the same basis as HE students. It simply makes no sense for the state to support undergraduates but not those adults wanting to achieve better qualifications in further education. As a party, we have consistently argued that those who had a poor experience of education when they were younger, deserve a second chance and it is only right that we offer support equally in this area.

We will also look closely at how existing funds are allocated to help get people back into work. More and more people are losing their jobs and struggling to access the training they need to start new careers. People finding themselves out of work need to be helped so that they can find suitable training courses without worrying about the costs. To do this we will re-focus the money committed to the employer led train to gain programme on individual adult learners so that they can access the training they need.

Closely connected to this is the issue of adult apprentices. Employers get a raw deal, having to pay the college based training costs of their apprentices and hence there is little incentive to take on adult apprentices - particularly when businesses are already struggling to make money. Instead businesses should be encouraged to take on adults who are keen to re-skill in a workplace. We will expand the number of adult apprentices and fully fund them, easing the burden on employers.

Our party has a long and proud tradition of supporting high quality education for all, from first days at school to time at university and college. This paper sits firmly in that tradition alongside the schools and colleges paper which will also be debated in Harrogate. With these policies we will continue to be the party of education.

Stephen Williams is Shadow Secretary for Innovation, Universities and Skills; and MP for Bristol West

According to the Mail online Lord Mandy is once again under the political spotlight; it is claimed that he is at the centre of a ‘favours for friends’ row over the controversial proposals to expand Heathrow.

Details emerged of the extraordinary access the Business Secretary’s close acquaintance Roland Rudd - who represents airport operator BAA - had to the top tiers of Government.

Mr Rudd, the City’s most powerful PR, or his company Finsbury Ltd met with ministers at least five times in ten days in the run-up to Labour’s unpopular decision to go ahead with plans for a third runway, and once a few months earlier.

It provoked angry allegations that Lord Mandelson used his political influence to help his friend persuade ministers to push through the £9billion project.

Mr Rudd, who is rumoured to be worth £50million, has had a long friendship with Lord Mandelson, who is godfather to his son.

Mandelson as campaigned strongly in favour of the expansion of Heathrow, and at one Cabinet meeting, he ‘banged his head’ on a table in frustration at anti-runway ministers.

 The Daily Mail have revealed the extraordinary access Mr Rudd and his firm, which lists BAA as one of its biggest corporate clients, was given to people at the levers of power.

Mr Rudd was also involved in last summer’s ‘Yachtgate’ affair involving Lord Mandelson.

The Trade Secretary was in Corfu, staying on the yacht of Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska - who is a client of Finsbury through Basic Elements, the holding group for his investments.

Another guest was Shadow Chancellor George Osborne, who was later suspected of leaking unfavourable remarks made by Lord Mandelson about the Prime Minister.

That upset a third guest, millionaire business heir Nat Rothschild - who is also represented by Mr Rudd and who, on the advice of Mr Rudd, launched a damaging media offensive against Mr Osborne.

  The intriguing details of the ministerial access granted to Mr Rudd were uncovered by Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker from Parliamentary questions. Norman Baker said: “These revelations provide, at the very least, evidence that Peter Mandelson has been doing favours for friends. Again, his position as a Cabinet minister is compromised by his shadowy personal contacts.

“It is astonishing that Roland Rudd, who has enjoyed lavish hospitality with Oleg Deripaska at the same time as Peter Mandelson, was granted so many meetings with ministers over such a short period of time.

“We know Mr Rudd’s firm represents BAA, so now we need to know how he came to be granted such favourable access at the time Lord Mandelson was lobbying so hard in the Cabinet for the third runway.

“It is not surprising that people jump to the conclusion that there is an old pals act going on here to try to influence Government policy. We need an investigation to be carried out to see if there have been breaches of the ministerial code. It is in the public interest.”

According to the Times online website Liberal Democrat MP for Northavon, Steve Webb, is calling on the energy regulator to have an urgent re-think about whether it was tough enough in its verdict on npower last week.

Ofgem ruled that the energy company had not properly informed its gas customers about the changes to its tariffs in 2007, leading to thousands of them being overcharged.

However Ofgem’s ruling relates only to 200,000 of npower’s two million gas customers and the compensation it is ordering the company to pay works out at only £6 per household. Many of npower’s customers are outraged at what they see as the derisory level of compensation being proposed. They are also angry that there is no easy way for ordinary consumers to challenge Ofgem’s ruling. After trying to take their case to both Ofgem and the Office of Fair Trading they were told that neither body will take complaints from individuals.

  Steve Webb the former Liberal Democrat Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary and now Shadow Works and Pensions and Secretary, said he will be calling on Ofgem to meet him at Westminster and re-consider its verdict.  

Steve Webb, said: “I am disappointed at the meagre level of compensation being offered to npower customers who have been overcharged. My concern is that Ofgem’s findings haven’t done justice to the losses that people have suffered through npower’s actions. “I will be asking for an urgent meeting at

The Freedom Bill is an attempt to overturn the Orwellian policies of the Labour and Tory governments over the last 20 years

This article originally appeared in the Guardian on 26 February 2009.

There has always been a problem for civil libertarians. The sacrifices of freedoms made by successive governments often seem small, particularly when they are pushed through at times of panic about terrorism. Each time, the government argues that you only need to give up a modest amount of freedom or rights to win greater security. And what could be more free than life itself? Yet the cumulative effects of this salami-slicing have now become deeply corrosive to the free spirit of a civil society. Like some sci-fi horror movie, we are slowly becoming the authoritarian threat that we are fighting.

The Liberal Democrats are determined to resist the slow death by a thousand cuts of our hard-won British liberties. George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four was a warning, not a blueprint. Yet the Big Brother society that he satirised is growing before our eyes. Our forebears who fought so hard for the rights we have had stripped away would be shocked at what we’ve lost.

That is why we have published our freedom bill, detailing how we intend to roll back the draconian laws passed by successive Labour and Conservative administrations. This draft bill is the first time a major political party has brought all of the laws which have undermined civil liberties together in one piece of legislation so that they can be easily repealed. We have called it the freedom bill because if the measures within it were all repealed, it would represent the greatest victory for freedom in Britain in the last 20 years.

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all the freedoms that have been lost in recent years. Sadly, there are too many. It is intended to be a starting point - to show people how much personal liberty has been stripped away by this government and the one before it. The freedom bill and the corresponding website is a consultative document designed to start a real dialogue, and give impetus to a movement that will lead to legislation soon after the next general election.

Read the rest of this entry.

According to the website Telegraph online one in six children are expected to lose out on their preferred school next week as the scramble for “good schools” intensifies.

Competition will be most fierce in Local Authorities with high performing schools, where as many as half of 11-year-olds are traditionally forced to accept second, third or fourth choice schools.

The parents of 600,000 children in their final year of primary education will find out on Monday or Tuesday which state secondary they have got into for September.

However, some local authorities have reported a slight rise in the number of pupils getting their favoured choice, including Durham, Derbyshire, the East Riding, Shropshire, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

But 14 councils said numbers were falling, particularly in the capital, where parents can choose between dozens of accessible schools.

In Kingston upon Thames, West London, 43 per cent of pupils are being turned away from their top secondary, compared to 40 per cent a year earlier.

Kensington and Chelsea said 40 per cent failed to get a first choice school, compared to 39 per cent in 2008.

In Windsor and Maidenhead a quarter of 11-year-olds will be left disappointed, while 24 per cent are missing out in Middlesbrough, 20 per cent in Derby and almost one-in-10 in Worcestershire.

The disclosure suggests overall acceptances across England are likely to mirror those recorded in each of the last two years, when one-in-six failed to get into the secondary school of their choice.

Thousands of parents are likely to mount official appeals - challenging rulings by local councils and individual schools.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Schools Secretary, David Laws, said: “While such huge variations in school performance persist across small areas, it is inevitable that ‘good’ schools will be oversubscribed and that some parents and pupils will lose out.

“The key to ending the scramble for good places is to raise standards in those under-performing schools parents currently don’t want to send their children to. Ministers should concentrate on making every school an excellent school.”

Lord Myners, a close ally of Gordon Brown (and Minister for the City), personally agreed an £8m increase in the pension pot of Sir Fred Goodwin when the former chief executive of Royal Bank of Scotland stood down last October, Sir Fred himself claimed last night.

The banker, who is determined not to give up any of the money, wrote to Lord Myners yesterday complaining about government attacks on the £693,000 annual pension he is receiving from RBS, saying that the Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury personally approved the deal during talks with the bank.

But last night, in a reply to Sir Fred’s letter, Lord Myners disputed the banker’s version of events and said the decision not to volunteer a cut in his pension was “unfortunate and unacceptable”.

The payment of Sir Fred’s pension, worth more than £13,300 a week, has required RBS to double the cost of funding his retirement in its accounts. Stephen Hester, the new RBS chief executive, said the bank now estimated the cost of Sir Fred’s pension at £16.6m, almost twice the £8.37m listed in its most recent annual report.

However, what really annoys me is the fact that we are now paying for this week in and week out, - it’s is our money! It is “grossly unfair” and possibly he will receive more in one single week than the vast majority of people who live in the East Marsh area earn in a full year. This is totally unacceptable; we now need action from this government rather than meaningless words.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable, said the Government should halt Sir Fred’s pension payments and challenge him to sue.

“The man who brought the bank to grief at enormous cost to taxpayer, while many employees lost their jobs, has just walked away with this personal fortune. If he has any sense of decency he will surrender it,” he said.

Next month our MPs will have the chance to help the estimated 5.5 million people who could be in “fuel poverty” this summer – 1.7 million more than a year ago, according to the watchdog Customer Focus.

Urgent action is needed to address this problem, and the Liberal Democrats have campaigned for a number of years to highlight this problem – only a few months back I moved a Notice of Motion at our Full Council which was seconded by Councillor Les Bonner. The Notice of Motion called upon government to take action against energy suppliers to end the practice of pre-payment meters, but even today – every single day 1,000 are being installed by the energy companies – it’s now time to end the practice.

The benefits from the recent price cuts from four of the largest six energy suppliers will be wiped out by the spiralling effects of the recession, the watchdog has warned.

Fuel poverty is defined as when a family needs to spend at least 10 per cent of their income on heating and lighting their home.

Despite various initiatives from the Government – which set a target to eradicate fuel poverty by 2010 – the number of people suffering from fuel poverty jumped last year as annual household fuel bills increased from an average of £912 to £1,303.

Recent modest cuts will take the average down to just £1,285. Consumer Focus has warned that with unemployment climbing sharply an increasing number of people will suffer from a sharp drop in their income and be unable to pay their bills.

As a result the number of people in fuel poverty will increase from 3.8 million this time last year to as much as 5.5 million this summer.

A private members bill next month is being introduced to try and eradicate fuel poverty. The Fuel Poverty bill, introduced by Liberal Democrat Shadow Leader of the House, David Heath would force gas companies to offer their most vulnerable customers the cheapest possible tariff.

David Heath won second place in the annual ballot for private members bills, and therefore his bill has a good chance of becoming law.

The fuel poverty bill has the backing of a wide range of organisations concerned with the elderly, poverty and the environment.

The bill will bring in two measures:

Ø       A major energy efficiency programme to ‘fuel poverty proof’ existing homes by bringing them up to the current energy efficiency levels enjoyed by modern homes

Ø       Social tariffs to limit vulnerable households’ exposure to high energy bills

David Heath said: “I don’t think anyone over the last few weeks will need persuading of the need for warm homes, and yet far too many people are still vulnerable to the cold simply because they can’t afford to heat their homes.

“It is estimated that five million households face an impossible choice between food and fuel this winter. And it’s not just an urban problem; many in rural areas such as Somerset which I represent live in older, damp, un-insulated properties and fuel costs, particularly for those who rely on fuel oil, are even higher.

“Whether in terms of social justice, concern about the environment, or a hard-headed calculation of the stimulus such action could give to a struggling construction industry, this is a measure which is urgently needed.

“It puts back in place a duty everyone thought the government was committed to under the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000, but which was overturned by a decision in the High Court last October. It’s a bill that is timely and needs to succeed.”

Lib Dem Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable responds to the government statement on an ‘asset protection scheme’ for banks

The Government’s latest proposals for tackling the bank crisis are “absolutely dire”, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable has told Parliament.

Speaking in response to the Chancellor’s statement on the asset protection scheme for banks, Dr Cable accused the Government of completely losing the plot: “The proposal for asset protection is a disgrace and a betrayal of the taxpayer’s interests. It is a classic case of privatising profits and socialising loss.”

Dr Cable criticised the government for allowing its fear of the word nationalisation to dictate its policy. Referring to comments made by former chairman of the US Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan, he said,  ”The problem is that we have not only zombie banks, but a zombie government: the walking dead, controlled by people who have a strong vested interest in protecting their bonus arrangements and covering up large-scale tax avoidance scams.”

Full text of Vince Cable’s response

Dr. Vincent Cable (Twickenham) (LD): In October, we broadly supported the Government because we thought that that was the right patriotic response in an emergency and because their proposals for bank recapitalisation were sensible. However, I am afraid that they have now almost completely lost the plot. The proposal for asset protection is a disgrace and a betrayal of the taxpayer’s interests. It is a classic case of privatising profits and socialising loss.

We know from American experience that valuing bad assets is hideously difficult. We also know that the banks know more about their bad assets than the Government, so there is now an open invitation to the banks to dump their worst assets on the Treasury, for a fixed fee, knowing that the taxpayer will pick up 90 per cent. of the losses. That is a fraud at the taxpayer’s expense.

There is a much better approach - the way in which the Government started dealing with the problem. It is to acquire shares in the banks - ordinary shares with full voting rights. That guarantees that any upside in recovery - if there is one - and any eventual sale fully accrues to the taxpayer. It also gives the Government full effective control over banks’ lending strategy and remuneration, instead of the current feeble agreements, which the banks have treated with contempt.

We know what the Government are afraid of: being accused of nationalisation. Let me quote what the Government’s old friend - the Prime Minister’s hero - Mr. Alan Greenspan said about that only last week. That American Republican free-market ideologue stated: “It may be necessary to temporarily nationalise some banks in order to facilitate a swift and orderly restructuring

“to “allow the Government to transfer toxic assets to a bad bank without the problem of how to price them” - the problem we have today.

“You”, he said to the Government, “should not get caught up on a word” - that is, nationalisation. He continued: “It doesn’t matter what you call it, but we can’t keep on funding these zombie banks without gaining public control.”

The problem is that we have not only zombie banks, but a zombie Government: the walking dead, controlled by people who have a strong vested interest in protecting their bonus arrangements and covering up large-scale tax avoidance scams.

The Government claim credit for being tough and stamping on the generous bonus arrangements of RBS and NatWest. I totally agree with the Conservative shadow spokesman - [Hon. Members: “Shadow Chancellor!”] I agree with his comments about Sir Fred Goodwin.

He was absolutely right. He could also have asked - and I will ask - how much in addition the Government have given to Sir Fred Goodwin and people in his position in tax relief.

However, there is a wider point about bonuses: they are public expenditure. These bonuses are a massive spending increase on public wages for which there is no justification whatever. What response will the Chancellor give this morning to Barclays, which has said that it will not deal with the Government unless all its bonus arrangements are fully protected? That is blackmail and he should make it absolutely clear that he will stand up to it.

I have one final question about what the Prime Minister said in the paper on Sunday about the proposal, which a growing number of people on all sides accept, that in the long term the low-risk high street lending activities of the banks have to be separated from the high-risk casino-type activities with which they have been associated. The Prime Minister seems to have capitulated to pressure to abandon that proposal altogether. I can understand why the banks want to hang on to the operations that generate their bonuses, but why on earth should the Government be giving a long-term guarantee for gambling activities on a global scale? It is incomprehensible and completely without justification.

I feel rather sad about this response, because I normally try to be constructive, but the Government’s proposal is absolutely dire.

The Home Office is planning on retaining DNA profiles of more than 800,000 innocent people, despite a ruling by the European court condemning their retention, reports suggest.

Last December the court criticised the “blanket and indiscriminate nature” of the current UK DNA database.

At present the database includes information on people who were never charged with an offence. In January home secretary Jacqui Smith said she would publish a white paper setting out a “more proportionate, fair and common-sense approach”.

However, the Guardian newspaper quotes Home Office source as claiming the government had no plans to destroy the controversial samples and will keep the original samples used to create the database.

The DNA database now includes five million entries, of which more than a million are children and over 850,000 innocent people.

It is thought both the Home Office and the police are working on ways of emphasising better how useful the DNA profiles are in solving crime.

Figures released yesterday in a parliamentary answer to the Liberal Democrats shows 1.1 million children now have their DNA stored, with the Metropolitan police adding the profiles of 117,000 boys and 33,000 girls.

Responding to the figures, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: “We already know that guilt and innocence are of no concern to ministers, but clearly neither is the negative effect the database has on children.

“It is unacceptable to keep the DNA of children on record in perpetuity for the most minor of offences. Unless convicted of a sexual or violent offence, under-16s should not have their DNA stored on the database.”

Commenting on today’s announcement of losses at HBoS and falls in profits by Lloyds Banking Group, and the news that Lloyds is in talks with the Government over making use of its asset protection insurance scheme, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: “It looks inevitable that Lloyds will now require further taxpayer support, but if this is the case it must be in return for a further stake in the company.”

“It is simply not acceptable to put additional risks on the taxpayer while privatising any future profits.

“The Government must bite the bullet and realise that it may need effective public control of both Lloyds and RBS.

“This will be needed to ensure new lending to sound borrowers; clean up the gross remuneration practices, as illustrated by Goodwin’s pension, and to stop abuses like tax avoidance which are taking place on a large scale inside the bank.”

  The equivalent of over two million more school days were lost this year due to truancy compared to 1997, Liberal Democrat analysis of official figures released today has revealed.

  Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Schools Secretary, David Laws said: “The truancy rate has rocketed under this Government and is continuing to rise.
 
  “It is totally unacceptable that almost one in 10 pupils in their crucial GCSE year are regularly skipping school.  These figures undermine any success the Government is claiming on truancy.
 
“The top-down, draconian, measures pursued by ministers have failed.  A more effective local approach is needed, involving parents, schools and the police.

“The Government needs to replace the national curriculum and give schools much more freedom to decide what they teach so they can motivate and stretch all of their pupils.”

Commenting on yesterday’s teenage pregnancy figures, Liberal Democrat Children Spokesperson, Annette Brooke said: “The Government has failed to treat this country’s scandalously high teenage pregnancy rate with the urgency it needs. It looks like the progress that had been made is being reversed.”

“If ministers had got their act together and introduced quality relationship and sex education into the curriculum we would not be in this dismal situation today.
 
“Instead of endless reviews and leaflets for parents, ministers need to ensure that all of our young people are getting the relationship and sex education they need.”

  Commenting on yesterday’s [Thursday] Public Account Select Committee’s report on widening participation in higher education, Liberal Democrat Shadow Innovations, University and Skills Secretary, Stephen Williams said: “Ministers have made very little progress in widening participation, making a mockery of the Government’s supposed commitment to social mobility.”

  “It is scandalous that significant amounts of public money have been ploughed into the system, but the Government has no idea how it has been spent.
 
“Improving performance in schools is key to widening participation. The vast majority of young people who achieve good A-levels go on to university. The link between social background and performance at school must be broken.
 
“All young people need to have access to good quality advice and guidance from an earlier age. Poverty of aspiration in our most disadvantaged communities means that too many bright youngsters don’t even consider university as an option.”

The Liberal Democrats have published their Freedom Bill, detailing how the party plans to roll back the authoritarian laws passed by both Labour and Conservative governments which have undermined civil liberties.

The legislation is the first time a major political party has collated all of the laws which have undermined civil liberties into one Bill, so that they can be easily repealed.

The 20 measures contained in the draft legislation will:

Ø  Cut the maximum pre-charge detention period from 28 to 14 days

Ø       Abolish the veto in the Freedom of Information Act that allows ministers to keep information secret

Ø       Scrap the ID card scheme

Ø       Remove all innocent people from the DNA database, except for those tried for a violent or sexual offence

Ø       Stop councils and others snooping by restricting the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) to serious and terrorist offences

Ø       Regulate CCTV to protect privacy following a Royal Commission on the use of cameras

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: “With one small change after another over the last 20 years, the cumulative loss of civil liberties is huge.

“The Government has presided over the slow death by a thousand cuts of our hard-won British freedoms.

“Our forebears who fought so hard to establish our rights under the law would be shocked at what we have lost.

“The Freedom Bill we are publishing today will repeal 20 years of attacks on our civil liberties from both Labour and Tory governments.”

Commenting on the Government’s plans to modernise the Royal Mail, published today, Liberal Democrat Shadow Business Secretary, John Thurso said: “Reform of the Royal Mail and the Post Office has been necessary for some time. That is why three years ago the Liberal Democrats published detailed plans to modernise Royal Mail and safeguard post offices up and down the country.”

“While the Government has listened to some of our ideas, these plans are by no means perfect.

“The Government must commit to reinvesting money from any share sale back into maintaining the Post Office network.

“Ministers should also agree to an employee shared ownership trust, which would give staff a real stake, creating the trust between staff and management that is vital for the future.”

  Commenting on the Government’s plans to underwrite RBS’ debts and the banking group’s announcement of £24bn losses, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: “This proposal is a disgrace and a total betrayal of the British taxpayer. Ministers have completely lost the plot.”

  “The Government is underwriting the banks’ worst assets, nationalising the losses and privatising the profits. This elaborate scheme is concealing a very large and long-term taxpayer subsidy.

“The Government is continuing to pour money into zombie banks purely to avoid taking these failed companies into full public ownership, which they could easily do by buying shares with full voting rights.

“At a time when even apostles of the free market such as Alan Greenspan are urging the Government to lose its fear of nationalisation, ministers still will not face reality. They must take responsibility for directly maintaining new lending to sound British businesses while curbing the bonus culture.”

Commenting on the announcement that former RBS chair, Sir Fred Goodwin is to get a pension of £650,000 a year, Vince Cable said: “This revelation is an absolute outrage. Although he was not solely responsible for the disaster at RBS, he is primarily accountable for the wave of irresponsible lending and acquisitions which destroyed the bank, leaving taxpayers to pick up the bill.

“The Treasury must come clean on how much tax relief was given on this pension and others like it. It is a continued scandal that while many pensioners struggle to survive on the basic state pension, the Government gives top rate tax relief to large pension pots. This must end.”

It has been reported overnight that Sir Fred Goodwin, the former chief executive of Royal Bank of Scotland, is already drawing a pension of £650,000 a year, despite only being 50. They have also learnt that the pot that generates his pension is worth £16m. 

Many people blame Sir Fred for the downfall of the RBS, and customers will be rightly upset with decision to pay such a “huge” pension. 

RBS, which is 70% owned by taxpayers, today announced a loss of £24.1bn for 2008. 

“UK Financial Investments, which manages the government’s shareholding, has been working with the new chairman and the new board to see what scope there may be for clawing back some of this payment,” Treasury Minister Stephen Timms said, after the BBC informed the Treasury of the pension arrangements. 

Already members of the Treasury Select Committee have attacked former RBS boss Sir Fred’s £650,000 a year pension, and are now demanding a clawback. 

They claim the pension was, at least in part public money.

YOUNG people and their families were awarded certificates after making movies as part of neighbourhood study projects.

A celebration was held at Tukes Cafe, in Grimsby, after young people were involved in making short films about how they see the world around them.

The movies, commissioned by North East Lincolnshire Council, focused on ten areas across the borough. The first took place in East Marsh in January 2007, and since then a total of 10 have been completed with the involvement of nearly 100 youngsters.

The opinions and ideas of local young people expressed in the films have now been used to influence policy, service delivery and budgeting. These have seen changes in local parks, housing estates and in the cleanliness of the community through the increased provision of neighbourhood services.

Some 29 children and young people attended the celebration with their families. The event was hosted by the Mayor of North East Lincolnshire, Councillor Colin Eastwell, the Mayoress Mrs Hilda Burns, and Colin Bulger, assistant chief executive.

Also present were young people from the East Marsh Action Group, who were officially recognised when the group were placed first in the Outstanding Safer Community Awards (voluntary sector category). Lauren Lawn, of the East Marsh Action Group, said: “It was really good to meet other young people who are making a difference within North East Lincolnshire.”

EMAG were originally awarded their OSCA on December 2, and as well as being supported by Pippa Gilbank and Rob Powlesland. EMAG have also been supported by the East Marsh Involve with a bid of £500 from our Ward Councillor’s Funding – this award was a fitting tribute to their achievements.

Liberal Democrat MP proposes Airport Expansion (Parliamentary Approval) Bill under the ‘10 minute rule’.

Should Parliament have to approve proposals for the building of new airports and runways? That was the question posed by Susan Kramer’s ‘10 minute rule’ bill debated on Tuesday (24th February).

Susan argued that it should, saying that, on an issue as crucial as this to tackling climate change, MPs could not shirk their responsibilities and shift the decision to someone else. “When the cost of a wrong decision is so high, we cannot say, “Oh, the Climate Change Committee will decide.” We cannot say, “The Infrastructure Planning Commission will decide.” We cannot even say that the Government should decide, unchallenged and unchallengeable by any vote. Our constituents expect us to shoulder crucial responsibilities, and on that basis, I ask hon. Members to support this Bill.”

Susan said that although her introduction of the Bill had been triggered by proposals for a third runway at Heathrow and the Government’s refusal to let Parliament decide on that, the legislation would be highly relevant elsewhere too. An additional runway is being mooted for Stansted airport. The constraints on an additional runway at Gatwick expire in 2019. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has proposed new 24 hours a day estuary airport. Outside the south east, Manchester, Bristol, Bournemouth and Birmingham airports have all proposed expanding their capacities to varying degrees.

The contradiction of one of the biggest expansion plans for aviation capacity ever considered in this country, being proposed exactly when climate change is supposed to be at the top of the political agenda, was highlighted by Susan. She reminded MPs that, at the moment, some 13 per cent of the UK’s contribution to climate change emissions comes from aviation. That figure will rise to 25 per cent by 2038, she said, “unless we drastically change the direction of policy. Given the role that aviation plays in climate change, are we really saying that we will never again allow Members of Parliament to have a vote on such a significant issue?”

Susan criticised the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for saying that aviation was a special case and would not bear as big a burden in tackling climate change as other sectors in the economy. “Must we really accept that without knowing the impact on other industries, on our regions, and on jobs in our constituencies?” she asked.

Despite having cross-party support, with sponsors including Conservative, Labour and Plaid Cymru MPs, as well as other Lib Dems, the Bill was opposed by a Conservative, David Wilshire, who spoke against it. He said that the Bill would threaten the speedy expansion of Heathrow he wanted to see. 203 MPs, mostly Labour, voted against the Bill, but 247 MPs from all parties voted for it, and the Bill passed its first hurdle. It is scheduled for second reading debate on March 20th, after David Heath’s Fuel Poverty Bill. However, as a ‘10 minute rule’ bill, it comes behind the ‘ballot bills’ in the queue for private members’ time so, so long as the Government continue to oppose it, its chances of becoming law are slim.

>>> Read the full debate here

Commenting on today’s figures which reveal the number of people in England having obesity surgery has risen by 40% in the last year, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: “This is yet more frightening evidence of the dramatic impact of the obesity crisis, both in terms of the impact on individuals and the cost to the NHS.”

“Effective action to tackle obesity is long overdue. Handing down diktats from Whitehall has failed. Ministers must give people more power to tackle obesity in their own areas.

“The NHS ultimately faces bankruptcy if this problem isn’t addressed.”

Commenting on today’s Government figures showing that the number of Eastern European migrants arriving in the UK has fallen sharply in the wake of the economic downturn, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: “The sharp decline in economic migrants from Eastern Europe is a clear demonstration of how unappealing the recession has made the UK to foreign workers.”

Commenting on the rise in illegal immigrants being deported in 2008, Chris Huhne said: “Ministers love to brag about their record on deportations but the truth is that until they reintroduce exit checks they cannot know how many illegal immigrants are even living here.”

Telegraph online have today published some research from Joseph Rowntree Foundation that shows New Labour has created a divided society. The gap between the richest and poorest in society has widened, since they came to power in 1997, and health inequalities have also increased and poverty intensified for working-age people without children.

This is Socialist vision of an “Equal Society” – what as gone wrong? We now have a divided society!

Progress towards a more equal society slowed, and in some cases “stalled”, during the second half of Labour’s time in office, according to the report published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Improvements in tackling child poverty ground to a halt after 2005 and the UK still ranks equal bottom of the original 15 EU members, the report said.

The Foundation commissioned a team from the LSE to examine whether Britain was more “equal” since Labour came to power.

Its starting point was Peter Mandelson’s 1997 request for the public to “judge us after ten years of success in office. For one of the fruits of that success will be that Britain has become a more equal society.“

There were “notable success stories” including reductions in pensioner poverty, improved education for the poorest children and schools, and a narrowing of the economic divide between deprived and other areas, the report said.

But health inequalities “continued to widen” and the disparity in incomes between the very top and very bottom of society grew.

The report said: “The assumption was that general expansion of health services would narrow health inequalities but there is no evidence this occurred.”

The decade from 1997, with a continuously growing economy and a government with large majorities, was “as good as it gets” in terms of an opportunity to create a more egalitarian society.

But there was a “marked contrast” in the periods before and after 2003, when greater pressure on public finances meant fewer initiatives to promote equality.

The report said: “In some areas, including poverty reduction, there are clear differences between progress in the first half of the period and less progress or even regression since then.”

After 2002 real earnings stagnated, pensioner poverty increase in 2006/07, and early success tackling long term unemployment among 18-24-year-olds has stalled or reversed.

Despite recent reforms of the pension system future retirement incomes are still likely to become more unequal, growth in spending on education and health has slowed and there has been a plateauing of child-related spending after 2004, the report said.

The recession and the pressures of an ageing society are likely to increase inequality in the future, it said.

Council tax is set to rise by less than expected this year after town halls cracked down on spending, it is claimed.

The Local Government Association (LGA) said it now believes increases would be 3% in 2009-10 rather than 3.5% - the lowest for a decade.

Chairman Margaret Eaton said councils are working “flat out” to keep taxes down.

Revenues are expected to drop by £2.5 billion in the next financial year as the recession bites and many authorities have been cutting jobs and non-essential services, according to the LGA.

“Money is tight for everyone and nobody likes paying more council tax and that is why town halls are making enormous efforts to keep bills down,” Ms Eaton said.

Just last month, the LGA predicted a 3.5% hike. A 3% increase on the 2008/09 average council tax bill per household would bring the average bill for 2009/10 to £1,414.

Inflation is currently 3% on the CPI measure, but is widely expected to fall further.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary, Julia Goldsworthy welcomed the news that tax rises would be lower than expected earlier in the year, saying: “Councils are making tough decisions because they recognise that council tax continues to hit those on low and fixed incomes the hardest.”

“The Government should follow their example and do more to cut the tax burden on those on the lowest incomes.”

Julia Goldsworthy added: “The unfair council tax must be scrapped and replaced with a fair tax based on the ability to pay.”

There have been calls for frontline ambulance staff to be issued with body armour, after it was revealed that they face the threat of violence at thousands of addresses in England.

Figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats under Freedom of Information legislation uncovered almost 7,500 addresses where ambulance staff require a police escort or are advised to exercise caution because of the potential for violence.

The true figure is certainly higher, as the details revealed relate to only 10 ambulance trusts. Some trusts said they kept registers of addresses with a risk of violence, but were unable to say how many homes were on them.

Warnings relate to people with a history of violence and aggression towards ambulance staff, addresses with dangerous animals or weapons and patients with psychiatric or alcohol-related conditions and personality disorders.

The highest number of addresses causing concern was reported by the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust - covering Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Cumbria and Lancashire.

The Trust said it was warning staff about 3,071 “addresses which require a police presence and addresses which require extra vigilance/care when attending”.

  Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb who obtained the figures through FOI requests, said: “It is unacceptable that such a large number of people are posing a threat to the safety of ambulance crews.

  “NHS staff responding to emergencies and trying to save people’s lives should be allowed to do their jobs without fear of violence or abuse. Tough action must taken when their safety is threatened. Protective body armour should be made available to all frontline ambulance staff, just as it is to the police.”

Norman Lamb also said: “Here we have members of a caring profession, providing support for people at a time of need, and this level of violence really isn’t acceptable.”

Commenting on Jack Straw’s refusal to publish Cabinet minutes relating to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, Liberal Democrat Shadow Justice Secretary, David Howarth said: “The decision to go to war in Iraq was momentous, controversial and disastrous, especially for this country’s reputation as an upholder of international law.

“There never has been a full and comprehensive public inquiry into the decision to go to war in Iraq. Jack Straw must now give his support for such an inquiry. We need to learn the lessons, and we need to learn them as quickly as possible. That is why these Cabinet minutes should be released much earlier than would normally be the case.

“We already know the names of the dissenters from their memoirs. All we need to know is whether there was any discussion and any challenge of any sort. That is a matter of great public importance and goes to the heart of accountability.

“Jack Straw must explain why he has chosen to block the release, rather than appealing to the High Court in the ordinary way. Why is Jack Straw silencing opposition to his position by decree instead of trying to persuade an objective court of its strength? This shows that, in reality, even he suspects his position to be weak.

“This decision has more to do with preventing embarrassment than protecting the system of government.”

A SECOND youth resources bus is to arrive in North East Lincolnshire this April, following the success of the borough’s first mobile unit.

The scheme, which has been running since May last year, provides an entertaining, safe and informative drop-in venue for young people aged between 11 and 19. The first bus has visited various locations across North East Lincolnshire, including Waltham, New Waltham, Humberston, Laceby, West Marsh, Yarborough, East Marsh and Nunsthorpe.

Now, a second mobile unit is to be launched, taking multimedia resources to local youngsters, allowing them to get involved in music and film making activities. Young people themselves will help design the bus.

Marcus Isman-Egal, youth service operational manager, said: “We’ve had such a success with the first youth bus, accessing communities which don’t have a regular youth service provision and giving young people something positive to do. The second bus is a sign of our commitment to a more flexible approach to youth work – going to where the young people are rather than waiting for them to come to us. We look forward to seeing it arrive and get to work.”

  Police fired tasers at children 28 times in a 20-month period, according to research by the Liberal Democrats. 

Figures revealed in a Parliamentary answer show:  

Ø       Police in England and Wales fired 50,000 volt Taser guns at children 28 times between January 2007 and August 2008

Ø       Tasers were used on under-18s 11 times in 2007 and 17 times in the first eight months of 2008

Ø       If that rate were to continue, the use of Tasers on children would have doubled between 2007 and 2008

Ø       A further 83 children were ‘exposed to the use of Taser’ in the 20-month period

Ø       In total, 2,222 people were ‘exposed to the use of Taser’

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: “Given the grave doubts about the Home Office’s claim that Tasers are not lethal, they should not be used on children.

“Police officers must be able to protect themselves, but these weapons have killed more than 300 people in the United States and should not be issued to untrained officers.

“We need an in-depth inquiry into the use of Tasers before they become commonplace on British streets.

“We must not slide down a slippery slope towards fully-armed, US-style policing.”

The Liberal Democrats will today table a 10-Minute Rule Bill demanding that Parliament vote on any proposed major airport expansion. It is expected that the Bill will receive backing from many Labour and Conservative MPs.

The Bill is being introduced by Susan Kramer, who leads the Liberal Democrats’ campaign against the expansion of Heathrow.

Commenting, Susan Kramer said: “It is an absolute disgrace that the Government believes it can force through controversial policies that will have such a devastating impact on our future without allowing Parliament to have its say.

“A third runway at Heathrow will be a climate change catastrophe. Politicians on all sides have raised fundamental concerns, but their voices have been stifled by the Government.

“This is an issue of democracy as much as it is an issue of climate change.

“The Liberal Democrats believe any future airport expansion should be put to a vote in Parliament, and we are confident many Labour and Conservative MPs feel the same way.”

  Commenting on today’s [Tuesday] Communities and Local Government Select Committee report, which urges the Government to build more social housing and do more to protect people from repossession, Liberal Democrat Shadow Housing Minister, Sarah Teather said: “A massive injection of new social housing would kick-start the construction industry and provide new low cost homes when struggling families need them most.”

“Red tape is preventing councils from building much-needed social housing. The Government’s first step should be abolishing the complicated rules that deny councils the freedom to invest.

“The report is right to highlight the difficulties faced by tenants when their landlord’s property is repossessed. We need tougher guidance to ensure that families in private housing do not return home to find the locks changed.”

According to the Independent online bankers are demanding a pay rise to compensate for the loss of bonus payments. “Base salaries at investment banks across the board will have to rise to compensate people for the falls in bonuses they have seen,” said one senior corporate finance investment banker.

Banks across the Square Mile have seen their bonuses fall by about half this year as profits – where any were made – have dwindled and regulators have started to crack down on the pay awards handed out to banks.

Average weekly earnings across the UK economy rose by just 2.1 per cent in the year through December, according to data from the Office of National Statistics. That is below inflation.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable, said it would be “completely perverse” to award bankers salary increases. Vince Cable said: “The laws of supply and demand suggest that this is completely perverse, as there is a currently a considerable reduction in the demand for bankers as the sector contracts. If members of the financial services community are managing to pull the wool over the eyes of their shareholders, this suggests that the problems of governance in the sector are even deeper than we imagined. The continued ability of the semi-nationalised banks to put highly paid staff ahead of taxpayers shows that the Government has been far too detached and pathetic in its arms-length approach to them.”

A DAY-LONG celebration of North East Lincolnshire’s successful Get Hooked on Fishing scheme is to be held next week.

Young people, local agencies, partners and coaches will get together on Thursday February 26 to mark the achievements of the scheme’s sustainable angling projects.

Since the scheme was launched in 2007, more than 400 young people aged from eight to 19 have been involved in the scheme. Other achievements of the scheme include:

Ø     the training of eight new level one and four level two coaches

Ø     six new junior Level 1 coaches planned for summer 09

Ø     expansion to include all three angling disciplines: coarse, sea and game

Ø     the development of an in-depth website offering downloadable content for young people

Ø     the addition of various youth engagement activities

Ø     a £27,000 regeneration of Homestead Park, Immingham.

The project, which is funded by Shoreline and managed by North East Lincolnshire Council’s Young People’s Service, uses angling as an engagement tool to combat social exclusion and divert young people away from anti-social behaviour, truancy and youth crime.

Former police officer Mick Watson, who has been honoured with the Queen’s Police Medal, founded Get Hooked on Fishing nationally and will attend to open the presentation on the day.

Event attendees will also hear from two young people who have completed the programme, gained nationally-recognised qualifications and become peer mentors, providing support and coaching to other young people engaged in the project.

Coaches will also discuss their experiences and there will be presentations by partnering agencies and organisations.

The Environment Agency, Immingham Town Council and North East Lincolnshire Council are key partners in the project, significantly helping to regenerate the lake. Those who attend on the day will see how facilities at Homestead Park have greatly improved and engaged the wider community.

Shoreline neighbourhood investment manager Phil Thames said: “We’ve made a significant investment in this project, which reflects the importance we place on tackling anti-social behaviour in an imaginative way.

“Not only has it transformed the area around Homestead Lake, it has engaged the local community and had a positive effect on a great number of local young people at risk of being socially excluded who have learnt new skills, gained confidence and built their self-esteem.

“We’re extremely proud of its success to date and this event acknowledges its achievements, the personal success stories and the hard work of everyone involved. A lot work has gone into this project to ensure it will continue to grow and we know it will have a long-lasting effect on the community and this area as a whole.”

Get Hooked on Fishing co-ordinator Mark Fenty added: “Shoreline’s three-year funding has enabled the GHOF programme leader and management group to build a solid infrastructure for the future. The programme is providing practical sessions at its base at Homestead

“Key partners have been incredibly supportive. Additionally, Get Hooked has developed many links with local companies who are also adding their weight to the project. There I still much to do and the event on the 26th is a great opportunity to let our specially invited VIP guests know what the programme has achieved and what we hope to achieve in the future. The event will close with a number of young people activities which demonstrate partnerships working together.”

Maurice Bates, executive director of children’s services, has said: “In just a few months the Get Hooked on Fishing project has worked tirelessly to build relationships with local partner agencies. Looking back now, it’s easy for me to describe it as a ‘triumph of dedication’. All those involved in the project have worked ridiculously hard to make it a success and it really had paid off. My congratulations go out to every one of them. I look forward to seeing the positive work continue with the young people of our borough.”

Commenting on Gordon Brown’s decision not to ensure that high street and investment banks are run separately, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: “Gordon Brown and George Osborne have completely capitulated to the banks by failing to call for the separation of their high-risk investment arms from their high street businesses, which are currently being protected by taxpayers money.”

“There is strong resistance from bankers to making this change, which would deprive them of an opportunity to maximise their bonuses.

“The Government should not be underwriting debt in situations where the taxpayers take the risk and the banks take any future profits.

“Ministers seem to be desperately trying to avoid taking responsibility for banks which they partially own, which is completely the wrong approach.

“The Government should be using its large shareholding in RBS and Lloyds to make sure they increase lending to sound borrowers, separate out good and bad debt, introduce disciplined remuneration packages, stop tax avoidance, ensure that banks dispose of high risk arms and prepare them for future sale at a profit.

“This cannot be achieved with the arms length arrangement which ministers are insisting upon.”

  Commenting on Binyam Mohamed’s return to the UK, Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary, Edward Davey said: “Now that Binyam Mohamed has landed in Britain, the Government is out of excuses for delaying a full inquiry into its involvement in his alleged torture.”

  “The Attorney General is said to have been consulting the Director of Public Prosecutions for months now over whether to hold a criminal investigation into his treatment. How much longer does she need?

  “The longer the Attorney General dithers, the more this looks like a political rather than a legal decision.

“If the Government whitewashes these allegations, Britain will face international disgrace. “This weekend’s Human Rights Watch report on torture suggests that Binyam Mohamed’s case may just be the tip of the iceberg. It is telling that David Miliband is unable to give a straightforward yes or no as to whether British agents and officials have been complicit in torture.”

Commenting on estimates from Government adviser Mike Tomlinson that up to 25,000 teenagers are leaving school before starting to study for GCSEs, Liberal Democrat Shadow Schools Secretary, David Laws said: “Thousands of young people are dropping out of school early because the education system has let them down.”

“This shows just how ludicrous it is for the Government to raise the education leaving age when it can’t even get 14 year olds to turn-up.

“Ministers need to get a grip on this problem and create a system which motivates and challenges all young people. 

“Instead of producing more targets and gimmicks, ministers need to provide a better range of vocational qualifications and allow students to access college education from age 14.”

  Commenting on today’s Archer inquiry into how thousands of haemophiliacs were infected with HIV and Hepatitis C through contaminated blood products, Jenny Willott, Liberal Democrat MP for Cardiff Central, who has led the campaign in Parliament for victims of the ‘Tainted Blood scandal’, said: “The Government must not hide from this tragedy anymore. Lord Archer is right to call for full compensation for everyone whose lives have been devastated by this appalling saga.”

“By failing to back the inquiry, the Government has been able to withhold key documents and refuse to provide witnesses to explain how this disaster could have occurred.

“Refusing to respond to the report’s recommendations would be a moral outrage. Ministers must respond and respond in full.
 
“Successive governments have evaded this issue for decades. If an inquiry into the events had been held earlier, many deaths could have been avoided.

“The Government must set up an advisory Committee for Haemophilia so that the lessons of the past can be used to inform future policy over blood contamination, including from vCJD.”

Commenting on the announcement that Northern Rock will increase lending by £14bn, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: “The Government has put the cart before the horse. Before spending billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money on new lending, ministers must set out in detail the basis on which future lending must take place.”

“Otherwise many of the past problems of excessive lending leading to negative equity and repossessions could be recreated. Any new lending must be done on a safe basis.

“Alistair Darling says he wants Northern Rock to only lend up to 90% mortgages, but then refers the decision to the FSA, ducking his responsibilities.

“This 90% rule, which should apply to all lenders not just Northern Rock, is a start but is too general. We must work to create clear, simple mortgages which protect sensible borrowers. The Liberal Democrats have set out proposals for a Safestart mortgage, with 85% loans, falling to 75% over five years on a repayment basis.”

Passengers are missing out on hidden deals which could save them up to half of the cost of a train journey, research by the Liberal Democrats has found.

Passengers can often make big savings by purchasing two separate tickets, rather than the direct tickets offered by train companies online and at stations. For example, travellers between Newcastle and Preston could save £30 if they paid for separate return tickets to and from Carlisle instead of the direct Off-Peak return ticket offered.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: “Rail companies frequently emphasise that bargain rail tickets are available, but when passengers turns up to a station to travel the cost of their journey is often a nasty surprise.

“Why should cheaper rail travel be restricted to those in the know? Rail companies should ensure that passengers are always offered the cheapest journey available.

“Improvements to websites and telephone facilities could make rail travel more affordable. It’s time to end the train ticket lottery.”

  Commenting on Jack Straw’s statement that the Met Police is no longer institutionally racist, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: “The Met has made great strides since the appalling failure to investigate and bring to justice the killers of the young black man Stephen Lawrence in 1993.” 

  “But you would have to be blind and dumb not to recognise that there’s a lot of work to be done to stamp out racism and bigotry in the police.

“The investigation of Anthony Walker’s death in Merseyside in 2005 shows that the police no longer walk by on the other side of the street when a young black man is murdered. But there’s no room for complacency about the canteen culture in many police forces and the large number of resignations by ethnic minority recruits.

“We have reached a staging post, not a final destination.”

It’s true Liberal Democrats work for the community all year round, and seven days a week – yesterday I was out delivering leaflets for tomorrow’s East Marsh Involve Community Meeting. I always make sure that I prepare well in advance of our local community meetings, and always try to encourage as many people as possible to attend – after all it is their meeting not ours.

East Marsh Involve (EMI) is a community led organisation that was set up to represent the residents of the whole of the East Marsh Ward. They hold monthly meetings where matters of mutual concern can be raised with and discussed with your Ward Councillors as well as with representatives from Humberside Police, Shoreline Housing Partnership and many others.

This month’s meeting will be held this coming Tuesday, 24 February 2009 and will start at 6 pm – as usual the venue will be the Grimsby Neighbourhood Centre which is situated on the corner of Wellington Street and Weelsby Street.  

As usual the agenda will include a Humberside Police Report, Ward Councillors Report, Development Worker’s Report and other matters of interest relating to the East Marsh.  

Prior to the main East Marsh Involve meeting there will be a meeting of the Priority Action Team, which will start at 5 pm and will be held in the sane venue. The aim of this meeting is to discuss Neighbourhood Crime issue, which will then be priotorised by the police prior to the next meeting.

   Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable on BBC today spoke of the financial stimulus Northern Rock was receiving from the government. He said that it was the right thing to do.

  “By allowing Northern Rock to return to business they are creating a good bank alongside a bad bank - which in the long term could be sold off to make a profit for the taxpayer.

  “It could work and it’s the right thing in principle.”

Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said the government had become slapdash with its approach towards overseas workers and how it had always been a requirement for employers to advertise for a British worker first when seeking to sponsor a non-EU skilled migrant.

“The government has been rather slapdash in its approach to this area, and hasn’t responded to the gaping hole of noticing when people had left the country.

“The key thing with immigration is detail; one of the things government is doing is knee jerk reaction. It’s actually blocking people like skilled pianists coming into this country.

“This country has enormous benefits over the years from our interaction over the world. Its absolutely right that we make sure those who have the skills are employed.

“I want to make sure that the sort of rules she is proposing are not bureaucratic hurdles to make the government feel better. I think you have to see the particular circumstances of different parts of the economy.”

According to the Daily Express online, Iain Wright a Government Minister with the responsibility for housing last night sparked a furious row - after he glibly described the repossession of 40,000 homes as “encouraging”. 

Iain Wright made the astonishing claim on the day that new figures revealed the number of struggling families losing their homes has soared by more than 50 per cent to a 12-year high.

Rather than admitting the figures were alarming, as property experts across the country were busily doing, the MP for Hartlepool said: “The figures for repossessions are below market expectations and in that respect it’s encouraging. But I don’t want to be complacent at all. The Government remains absolutely focused.”

His comments prompted a wave of condemnation with many arguing they showed just how out of touch the Government has now become.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Housing Minister, Sarah Teather condemned Mr Wright’s comments as “insensitive”.

She said: “Thousands of families are suffering the misery of repossession and the Government has no reason to be encouraged that the Council of Mortgage Lenders are standing by their prediction of 75,000 repossessions this year.”

The row came in the day it was revealed that one in 10 Britons will soon be on a council house waiting list.

New figures released yesterday showed that a total of 40,000 properties were repossessed by lenders in 208 – up from 25,900 the previous year.

Experts last night warned that things are set to get even worse as Government initiatives fail to stem the crisis.

David Orr, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said: “As the recession continues to bite, we expect as many as five million people to be on waiting lists for social housing by the end of next year – which equates to nearly one in ten of the population.” 

Nick Clegg, Leader of the Liberal Democrats yesterday accused Gordon Brown of wasteful complacency following figures released today showing that the number of homes repossessed last year rose by 54% to 40,000.

Nick Clegg said: “Tens of thousands of families are going through the pain and misery of losing their homes while the Government dithers.

Tonight’s Grimsby Evening Telegraph reported on Thursday’s Full Council – when a 3.25% council tax rise was agreed. Last year it was 2.8 per cent, but events have changed dramatically since the budget was agreed twelve months ago. However, it is still in line with the then Medium Term Financial Plan.

Leader of the Council, Andrew De Freitas (Liberal Democrat), said: “Under the circumstances, it is remarkable that we are proposing a council tax increase of only 3.25 per cent.” Councillor De Freitas also pointed out that there would be more £200,000 in staffing efficiences - which would result in only “very few job losses” – not like in other councils were they are forecasting hundreds of job losses.

Portfolio Holder for Finance and Performance, Councillor Tony McCabe (Liberal Democrat), said: “We have managed to identify £12-million of efficiency savings over the next three years, and we have managed to do that without slash and burn.“

The report also included the Medium Term Financial Plan to 2011/12, which anticipates another 3.25 per cent council tax increase in 2010/11, followed by a three per cent rise in 2011/12.

The Labour group’s acting leader Michael Burnett described the council tax rise as “inflation-busting”. Throughout the debate they tried to move a number of amendments, and one related to re-instatement of the proposed budget cut at Citizen’s Advice Bureau; however Councillor Burnett played right into our hands, and it gave me a great opportunity to speak in the debate.

Councillor Burnett, said: it would be wrong to withdraw the £43,000 even though it would not take place until 2011/12; he claimed that people were getting into debt everyday, having their homes re-processed and going bankrupt.

In response, I said: “It’s a bit much for someone who is a member of the Labour Party to lecture us about the economy when it is Gordon Brown the man who saved the world who actually got us into this mess in the first place.

“Yes, people are facing debt every single day – they are facing the worst economic crisis and it is partly their Government’s making. Only a few months back I stood on the steps of the Town Hall with Deputy Chief Executive, along with the Leader of the Council handing over a cheque to the CAB – they have actually had an increase in funding over the last twelve months – this money is not being withdrawn.

“However, if Mr. Brown is unable resolve the economic climate and we are still in a recession – I am sure we will review the situation next year – this debate is too early.”

Councillor Tony McCabe, also said that if the recession deepened and demand for advice continued to increase then the budget cut would be reviewed.

Labour’s call for the council to dip into its reserves to avoid budget cuts in some areas was criticised by opposing councillors – who accused NELC of not learning from past mistakes.

Councillor De Freitas said these amendments would have to be funded by a further council tax increase.

He said: “The money has got to come from somewhere.

“I would remind councillors that the council got into a difficult situation when it kept dragging money out of balances.”

This week has marked the first anniversary of the nationalisation of Northern Rock. This time last year, and after months of prevarication, the Government finally admitted that simply sinking ever more money into a failing private sector bank was not in the interests of taxpayers or the bank’s customers. 

A year on we face, on a much bigger scale, essentially the same problem but in a context where the economy is now in steep decline.

Since last February, we have experienced one of the most tumultuous years in the history of the financial sector and the British economy.

Hundreds of thousands are losing their jobs. Large numbers are struggling to pay their debts including the mortgage on the family home. Billions have been wiped off bank shares and two more banks – Lloyds and RBS – have been in serious danger of collapse.

Yet Westminster politics is still trapped in a time warp of tribal politics.

Eighteen months into the credit crunch and six months into a recession, the Conservatives and the Labour Party are still rehearsing the same arguments. The Conservatives have one message: “It’s all your fault, Gordon.” The Government, on the other hand, endlessly repeats its claim: “It’s nothing to do with us; it is a global problem.”

The Prime Minister is, of course, correct when he says the credit crunch is a global phenomenon which first hit the US. But trying to claim that the US is the source of the recession in the UK because the credit crunch hit the US first, makes about as much sense as my claiming that because I left my umbrella at home this morning it rained today.

Rather more elegantly put, it is the logical fallacy post hoc ergo propter hoc – after it therefore because of it. The reality is of course that British banks like US banks had been irresponsibly lending money to many customers who were not able to sustain the obligations and bundling the loans into securities to sell in international financial markets; there was always going to be a reckoning.

Moreover the British authorities cannot escape responsibility for the fact that house prices sky rocketed and personal debt spiralled out of control.

The Prime Minister knew that this was a problem, indeed way back in 1995 as he set out his vision for the British economy he pledged that “we will not build the new Jerusalem on a mountain of debt”.

In his very first budget as Labour Chancellor, he said: “I will not allow house prices to get out of control and put at risk the sustainability of the recovery.”

Yet when people – like me – pointed out that this is exactly what was happening, we were either ignored or chastised for daring to question the Government’s claim that ‘boom and bust’ had been abolished.

These arguments about blame – of who did what and who should have done what – are decreasingly relevant for millions of people in fear of losing their job or their home. Few people can understand why the political classes are failing so abysmally to stop the petty rivalries. They want to be told honestly what government can do and what it can’t.

The most pressing problem remains dealing with the banks. Three of the world’s biggest banks are British – RBS, HSBC and Barclays. Lloyds/HBOS is not far behind. Together, they hold assets of over £6 trillion.

To put this into perspective, this is more then four times the size of the UK GDP. We are in the extraordinary position where the British government, and the taxpayer, are having to shore up global banks whose balance sheets are far bigger than the British economy.

As a result of government intervention, the taxpayer now owns 70 per cent of RBS and, potentially, a majority of Lloyds. The Lloyds group continues to be dragged under by HBOS.

The Government has drifted accidentally – and with little idea what to do next – into virtual nationalisation of these banking giants.

The Government must now act decisively to take control of these banks and ensure that they lend to British business currently starved of credit.

Once nationalised, the Government can then set about separating out the banks’ ‘bad’ and ‘good’ loans while stopping the nonsense of the ‘bonus culture’ and the massive tax dodging operations many banks have been guilty of.

The aim and the end result must be to sell off the banks, in due course, hopefully at a profit for the taxpayer and once they have been restructured to split off safe and sensible high street banking from high risk casino-type operations.

The other key issue is how far the Government can continue to support the economy with public spending and investment without creating a crisis in the public finances.

Inevitably, because of the recession, there is a fall in government revenue and rising spending on the unemployed. There is, additionally, the loss of revenue from the City following the banking collapse. The Private Finance Initiative no longer works so the Treasury has to borrow itself for necessary infrastructure.

But the Government cannot just be a spectator as the economy folds. It is much better for it to borrow to invest in capital projects creating jobs today and assets for the future rather than to borrow to keep people out of work.

We must however recognise that even with a successful bank sell off down the line, there will need to be a serious tightening of public spending after the recession to restore the budget to balance.

As we enter the run up to the General Election, I believe that the parties will be judged not on political point scoring or pie in the sky promises, but on an honest assessment of where we are, where we want to get to and the tough choices that will need to made. Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable

TreeHouse, the national charity for autism education, is delighted that the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Youth and Equality, Lynne Featherstone MP has brought the first ever autism law a step closer for local people affected by the condition, by supporting a bill currently going through Parliament.

The Autism Bill is backed by TreeHouse, The National Autistic Society and 12 other autism charities, needs 100 MPs to vote in its favour on the 27th February. Ms Featherstone has pledged to be there on the day, on behalf of local people affected by the condition, and to help end the unacceptable postcode lottery of autism services across the UK.

Lynne Featherstone said; “This is not a matter for party politics, but a critically important issue that is far too often overlooked and which affects people in every constituency. The Autism Bill has the potential to radically transform thousands of lives in the area - I will be there to vote on the 27th and I hope many more of my colleagues will show their support.”

The Autism Bill aims to:

Ø     Strengthen information about the numbers of people with autism and their needs, in order to improve local planning and commissioning of services

Ø     Improve inter-agency working to secure effective transition for young people with autism who are moving from child to adult services

Ø     Ensure access to appropriate support and services for people with autism in adult life

Ian Wylie, Chief Executive of TreeHouse, said; “We are delighted to have the support of Lynne Featherstone MP and strongly urge other MPs to follow her lead. The Autism Bill is a huge step forward in ensuring a brighter future for people with this serious, lifelong and disabling condition, but we urgently need support to make this law. Without the right help autism can have a profound and sometimes devastating effect and we will keep campaigning until we see real change at a local level.”

The Autism Bill is being taken forward by Cheryl Gillan MP, who was first out of the private members’ ballot.

Last Friday, I posted an article “It’s Black Friday; and don’t I know it”!  Yes, it was one of those days, but even though Grimsby Evening Telegraph made a minor blunder – they gave me some great publicity, and a week later I am in the news once again with another “good news” story.

Tonight the Telegraph have reported that a derelict block of flats in Roberts Street – described as “an accident in waiting” – has been demolished.

The former residential care home and, more recently, a block of flats, situated next to the Shalom Youth Centre - has been knocked down and cleared.

It came after residents of the East Marsh worked with ward councillors to remove it after it became an eyesore and a safety hazard.

Reports had reached councillors that children were playing on the property, which has stood empty for about four years.

A planning application for four two-bedroom houses has been approved.

Photograph of 105 Roberts Street (which is now nearly cleared) – courtesy of Grimsby Evening Telegraph

Councillor Steve Beasant (Liberal Democrat, East Marsh) led the calls for the site to be demolished, and is delighted that it has now gone.

Steve said: “From the time when this building became empty, we have had young people getting into it – it has been horrendous.

“It is not just young people either – we have had older people getting in and ripping out copper pipes.

“This has led to major concerns that someone could potentially get killed in this building – but thankfully we have got through this process without having any serious injuries.

“This is absolutely superb news for the community and we are able to move forward. Hopefully, in the near future, this site will be cleared and we will see four new houses going up. The area does need regenerating.”

John Ellis, the manager of Shalom Youth Centre, said: “It had become a playground for kids and all it needed was for one to fall through the floor and there would be a serious accident.“We are really, really pleased to see it come down.”

Alan Johnson (42), lives near to the site. He said: “I have seen the kids in there and I was always concerned.“It is good news now it has been removed.”

  Commenting on today’s judgement from the Information Tribunal ordering the Government to publish two reviews on its ID card scheme, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: “The Government is increasingly realising that its ID card scheme is a laminated poll tax with all the same toxic ability to make it unpopular.”

  “Ministers would win more plaudits if they did not drag their feet on their legal obligations.”

Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg today accused Gordon Brown of wasteful complacency following figures released today showing that the number of homes repossessed last year rose by 54% to 40,000.

Nick Clegg said: “Tens of thousands of families are going through the pain and misery of losing their homes while the Government dithers.

“Just over a year ago I asked Gordon Brown whether he accepted the prediction that house repossessions would skyrocket by 50%. He ignored the warnings but repossessions have risen exactly as predicted.
 
“It is a scandal that Gordon Brown has been sitting on his hands when he has had a whole year to prepare for the worst. 
 
“The much-publicised Homeowner Mortgage Support Scheme announced last year has not yet helped a single family in trouble.
 
“The Prime Minister’s wasteful complacency means that millions of extra families could be added to already full social housing lists.
 
“If the Government was serious about stemming the tide of repossessions, it would give courts the power to ensure that repossession is the absolute last resort and remove the barriers to allow councils to invest in social housing.”

  Commenting on today’s [Friday] report by Biomed Central which reveals there are higher rates of cervical cancer in deprived areas, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: “Labour’s failure to tackle the divide between the richest and poorest in this country is their most dismal legacy.”

“It is completely unacceptable that there are more women suffering from cervical cancer simply because they live in a deprived area.

“The Government has introduced hundreds of bills, papers and targets while health inequalities have been allowed to reach Victorian levels. Instead of wasting money on Whitehall bureaucracy, ministers should be tackling this inexcusable divide.”

According to Inside Housing the government is facing increased pressure to take action against empty homes after the Liberal Democrats became the second opposition party in a week to announce plans to tackle the UK’s burgeoning vacant stock.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Housing Minister, Sarah Teather made the announcement, advocating a repair and renewal loan scheme for empty property owners and a £40 million fund for short-life housing – see also Liberal Democrat Launch Plans to Rebuild Social Housing.

(Echoing Inside Housing’s own Empty Promise campaign, Sarah Teather also proposed making VAT for renovating homes the same as for building new ones - possibly dropping to 5 per cent.

Sarah Teather said: “Millions of families have been let down by Labour’s housing failures. While the recession deepens, social housing queues continue to grow and construction work has ground to a halt.

“It’s time to stop seeing empty homes as a blight on the high street, but as an opportunity. Ignoring 1 million empty homes while waiting lists grow is a sign of a government that has run out of ideas. Renovating empty and abandoned properties can provide low cost homes while boosting the struggling construction centre.

“Councils and housing associations must be able to access funds to bring abandoned properties back into use, and companies with empty commercial property need incentives to make their property available for temporary housing for young professionals.

“This would provide cheap accommodation and prevent the property from falling into disrepair.”

You can now follow the council’s news on Twitter.com - the news bulletin website which allows family, friends and work colleagues to keep up to date with news which is relevant to them.

North East Lincolnshire Council’s Twitter feed has been set up to publicise events and news items of interest to all of the borough’s residents - including leisure events, election news and service updates.

Twitter.com is free to use, but you must sign up in order to take part. Users who are already subscribed to Twitter.com can follow North East Lincolnshire Council’s news feed at twitter.com/NELincs.

For further information on using Twitter, visit the site’s help page at help.twitter.com/portal.

Commenting on the ONS’ decision to classify Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group as public sector organisations, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: “The ONS has confirmed what we already knew. The Government has in effect nationalised RBS and has a substantial stake in Lloyds.”

“However, it’s extraordinary that statistical conventions mean the public accounts will only include the liabilities of the banks, and not their assets.

“Ministers must now accept the reality that they effectively own two large banks and use them to ensure the flow of much needed credit into the economy.”

Commenting on today’s BBC Trust announcement that it will not overrule the decision not to broadcast the DEC humanitarian appeal for Gaza, Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Don Foster said: “The BBC Trust has to allow the BBC Director General to make these types of editorial decisions. However, that doesn’t change the fact that Mark Thompson got this decision wrong.”

“No one seriously believes that any of the channels that did screen the appeal have undermined their impartiality. The BBC must now reconsider its position for future appeals.”

The Government’s flagship concessionary bus fare scheme has left councils millions of pounds out of pocket – the Liberal Democrats have claimed.

A survey of 70 local authorities across the country has revealed a shortfall of £40M so far, because the Government has insufficiently funded free bus travel for the over-60s.

At the same time, some councils have actually profited from the scheme due to the funding formula.

The Liberal Democrat poll found that coastal areas, which attract a high number of tourists, are expecting the biggest shortfall.

Bournemouth is expecting a funding shortfall of £4.5M for 2008/09, the Isle of Wight £3.7M, and Torbay £3.2M – are three local authorities that rely heavily on Tourism and have huge influx of visitors during the summer holidays. 

Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: “The Government has turned a popular scheme for older people into an implementation disaster. First the choice of local authority boundaries led to confusion and chaos at the borders and now poor funding is leaving local taxpayers picking up the bill.

“This £40M shortfall could be a drop in the ocean, Council tax payers shouldn’t have to pick up yet another bill for the Government’s mistakes.”

North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus has been successful in securing funding from the Strategic Health Authority to commission research to establish the public’s attitude to and knowledge about sexual health and contraception.

This research will be used to develop strategies to improve awareness of these issues in the population, from young people through to older adults.

Social Research Associates, an independent research company, has been commissioned to undertake the research. Their researchers will conduct interviews with the public at various locations throughout North East Lincolnshire from February 20 - 24 and March 2 - 5.

All researchers are working to stringent codes of conduct laid out by the Market Research Society and will be wearing identification badges to demonstrate their authenticity.

This research is part of the ongoing review of service delivery locally and demonstrates the commitment of the Care Trust Plus to ensure that all the services it provides meet the needs of both local people and national NHS clinical standards.

In the coming months in partnership with the Grimsby Telegraph further research work will take place to gauge local attitudes on matters of sexual health using debates, polls and online surveys on the ‘this is Grimsby’ website.

The Liberal Democrats today launched new plans to greatly increase the supply of social housing, stem the tide of repossessions and rescue the beleaguered construction industry.

The new plans include:

Ø     Introducing a Repair and Renewal loan scheme for owners of empty properties if they agree to lease them for at least five years to housing associations

Ø     Allowing commercial properties temporarily being used for housing to claim commercial property rate relief

Ø     Helping lending to return to normal levels by introducing basic ‘Safestart’ mortgages

Ø     Allowing housing associations and local authorities to use Homes and Communities Agency funds to improve newly purchased unsold private housing stock

Ø     Slowing repossessions by ensuring courts make them the absolute last resort

  Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Housing Minister, Sarah Teather said: “Millions of families have been let down by Labour’s housing failures. As the recession deepens, social housing queues are growing ever longer while the construction industry has ground to a halt.

  “Renovating empty and abandoned properties can provide low cost homes while boosting the struggling construction sector.

“Councils and housing associations must be able to access funds to bring abandoned properties back into use.

“Companies with empty commercial property need incentives to make it available for temporary housing, which will provide cheap accommodation and prevent it from falling into disrepair.”

Commenting further, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: “We are now facing a repeat of the Tory recession of the 1990s, with tens of thousands of families facing repossession in the year ahead.

“With only a small portion of the 75,000 houses that are predicted to be repossessed in 2009 covered by the Government’s scheme, there is a real danger that we will see thousands of people kicked out of their homes over the next 12 months.

“It is critical, not only for those who may lose their homes but also for the wider economy, that we have a comprehensive plan to ensure that repossession is only ever a last resort.

“In the future, people must have access to low risk, simple mortgages which ensure that those who have sensible deposits are protected from negative equity.”

According to the Evening Standard website Treasury Minister Yvette Cooper is being pressed to stand as a “Stop Harriet” candidate for the Labour leadership. 

A Cabinet minister is planning to approach her to persuade her to throw her hat into the ring if Labour loses the next election, the Standard has learned.  

It appears that the Labour Party are now rattled by apparent Tory lead in the opinion polls, and the Liberal Democrats could shortly overtake them in the near future – they are now in terminal decline. They have lost the trust of the British public; it is now time for democratically elected Prime Minister who can best deliver an economic recovery.

A Liberal Democrat Euro MP has expressed her shock to discover that Yorkshire & the Humber will miss out on an EU funding windfall because of a ‘money grabbing’ decision made by the Government.

The European Commission in Brussels has offered a six month extension on its December 2008 deadline to all countries for unused funds, as part of a £178bn economic stimulus package.

But the Government has decided not to let English regions apply - despite the fact Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are set to benefit from the money. What is more, the value of the grant is set to rise by a fifth because of the fall of the pound compared to the Euro.

The Liberal Democrat MEP for Yorkshire & the Humber, Diana Wallis, said: “Yorkshire & the Humber has always struggled to get the kind of funding it deserves from central Government.

“It is ridiculous that the region has been denied these funds apparently because the Government doesn’t think the money can be spent within the set deadlines.

“This is a poor excuse and a smokescreen for a money grabbing Government trying to find funds from anywhere to help settle its financial problems.

“It is more likely that the Government has realised that any unclaimed money can be taken off the UK’s contribution to the EU, going right back into Whitehall pockets, rather than being spent on projects vital to Yorkshire & the Humber.”

The EU said the UK had claimed only £14.8bn of its £16.4bn total for 2000-6 by the 2008 deadline.

  Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg today [Thursday] revealed that Gordon Brown is wasting £31m a day on his temporary VAT cut, money which should be used to create thousands of much-needed jobs instead.

  The Government has missed the opportunity to create up to 95,000 jobs by persisting with its ineffective cut in VAT.  The Liberal Democrats have proposed using the £12.5bn cost of the VAT cut to create jobs in green investment projects for schools, hospitals and homes - investment which would provide a long-term return for the country as a whole.

Nick Clegg said: “Every day the Government is wasting £31m on a pointless VAT cut that gives people no real help.

“With unemployment soaring this money should be spent on creating the jobs we urgently need right now and the economic infrastructure we need for the future. This would put more than 95,000 people back into work as part of a green investment programme, insulating every school and hospital in the country, and installing smart meters in every home.

“Gordon Brown should not borrow huge sums of public money for a one-off giveaway which leaves no lasting effect. Borrowed money should be used instead to create jobs now and yield a long-term return for the country as a whole.”

Commenting on today’s [Wednesday] Passenger Focus report which attacks the Government’s policy of shifting more of the cost of the railways on to passengers, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: “This report shows British passengers are the most ripped off in Europe.”

“Every year, ministers are forcing above-inflation price hikes on passengers who are being forced to stand on increasingly overcrowded trains.

“The Government should stop the tax train in its tracks now by adopting Liberal Democrat plans for an immediate fare freeze, paid for by taking money from the road widening budget.”

  The number of young girls being admitted to hospital suffering from anorexia has jumped by 80% in the last decade, the Liberal Democrats have revealed.

  Commenting, Liberal Democrat MP, Mark Hunter said: “These shocking figures show just how little the Government has done to tackle the problem of eating disorders like anorexia.

  “Ministers need to make sure there is more support for anorexia sufferers and their families. We shouldn’t be waiting until these children are so weak that they need to be hospitalised before they get help.

“Pro-anorexia and pro-bulimia websites play a poisonous role in this illness. These websites masquerade as self-help sites while actually encouraging their readers to believe the illness is a lifestyle choice, giving them tips on how to starve themselves and hide their condition from their family and friends.

“The Government has to work with Internet Service Providers to make sure these toxic website are shut down.”

Commenting on today’s Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) minutes showing that members voted unanimously to seek government consent to begin quantitative easing, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: “It is clear that with interest rates so low we are fast running out of the traditional tools used to fight off deflation and stimulate growth.”

“As the economy slides further into recession, the MPC is right to take a bold approach towards quantitative easing.

“Although, as we have seen from other countries, such action is not without its dangers, the British economy is facing new and exceptional challenges which must be met with new tools.”

A man previously involved in billion-pound regeneration schemes in Nottingham and Bradford has been appointed as the head of North East Lincolnshire’s transformation. 

Marc Cole has been appointed as the council’s new executive director for regeneration. He takes up his new role in May.  

Mr Cole, 45, joins the council from Nottingham Regeneration Limited (NRL), where he is chief executive. 

NRL is tasked with helping drive forward the city’s ambitious regeneration plans and for overseeing its £2.5 billion regeneration programme for the Eastside, Southside and Waterside areas of Nottingham City Centre.  

The role also involves working with public and private sector partners across the wider Greater Nottingham conurbation, to facilitate and assist the delivery of a range of regeneration, renewal and revitalisation initiatives. 

NRL is leading on a number of ambitious regeneration projects including the transformation of Nottingham’s train station into a new 21st century transportation hub, the delivery of one of the country’s first medi-park developments and the redevelopment of a number of town centres across Greater Nottingham. 

Mr Cole, who has a 19-year-old daughter, was previously director of regeneration at Bradford Centre Regeneration, and has more than 20 years experience of planning, economic development and regeneration work.  

Before joining Bradford Centre Regeneration, he was head of regeneration with St Helens Council in Merseyside.  

He has also worked in the voluntary sector, as deputy chief executive of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust and the private sector, as an associate director with DTZ Pieda Consulting.  

Mr Cole said: “Great opportunities lie ahead for North East Lincolnshire. It has an enviable location in the UK and is well placed to attract jobs and investment to the area and to capitalise on its strong links with mainland Europe.  

“I’ve inherited an excellent programme of regeneration projects which can, and will, put North East Lincolnshire on the map for all the right reasons.” 

Tony Hunter, chief executive of North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “Marc joins us with an exemplary record of effecting change. His work to make Nottingham such a distinctive urban centre is highly impressive.

“Marc shares our belief in making our borough a better place to live, work and visit and will drive forward some transformational projects which will bring jobs and opportunities anew to North East Lincolnshire.”

  Liberal Democrat Foreign Secretary, Edward Davey yesterday called on David Miliband to release all documents and legal advice relating to the Government’s policy on the interrogation of terror suspects outside the UK by British Secret Service Agents, if necessary solely to the Intelligence and Security Committee.

  Edward Davey said: “The nature of these allegations grows ever more serious by the day. They suggest that complicity in UK co-operation with torture and extraordinary rendition may reach to the highest levels of Government.

“Now that it has come to light, the legality of this interrogation policy needs to be challenged and at the very least the Intelligence and Security Committee must have access to all related documents.”

Commenting on today’s [Wednesday] report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies and Essex University, which warns that the Government will miss its 2010/11 child poverty target by 600,000 unless it dramatically increases spending on tax credits, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Steve Webb said: “This recession will hurt all families, especially the many that will lose jobs.”

“With unemployment rising, the meanness of the benefit system has been exposed and Labour’s emphasis on getting lone parents back to work looks ill-informed and punitive.  

“In the short-term, tackling child poverty means making sure that families on benefits are not forced to live below the poverty line. 

“In the long-term, the underlying causes of poverty must be tackled by investing in education for the most disadvantaged by introducing the pupil premium.”

  Changes to European working time laws could lead to dangerous shortages in fire cover across the UK, and this could affect two local fire stations in North East Lincolnshire – they are Waltham and Cleethorpes.

The Liberal Democrats have already started a strong campaign against the proposals nationally, and urging people sign an online petition: www.keeptheoptout.com

The European Parliament recently passed rules that would scrap Britain’s opt-out from the European Working Time Directive. This could mean that retained firefighters, who often have other jobs, would have to drastically cut the hours they are available to the fire service.

Many areas already have problems with recruiting retained firefighters, with over half of posts unfilled.

The rule changes would not affect most other EU countries where part-time firefighters work on a voluntary basis and are therefore not covered by the opt-out.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary, Julia Goldsworthy said: “People mustn’t be penalised for choosing to stick to working time hours, but neither should people who want to help in their communities.

“Retained firefighters are a crucial part of the UK’s emergency services.

“The fact the rules wouldn’t affect voluntary firefighters elsewhere in the EU is simply unfair.

“Liberal Democrats are campaigning hard to keep the opt-out for retained firefighters and ensuring the emergency services are able to provide a flexible and high-quality service across the UK.”

Alistair Darling claimed that after negotiations with RBS, the bank would only pay £175 million in bonuses this year - the “absolute legal minimum” - to its investment bankers.

However, there are two differing reports on the web this morning the Telegraph are reporting that bonuses will reach nearly £1 billion and the Guardian are reporting that worker will receive £775 million in bonus payments. Whichever figure is true, it appears that there was a great deal of spin from the Chancellor with this particular announcement.

According to the Telegraph “ordinary workers” will receive a further £160 million to be paid out this year as part of a profit sharing scheme to 80,000 on top of the £175 million.

An additional £600m - which was earned by RBS’s most successful bankers in 2008 - will also be put into a scheme of deferred payments, although some of that could be clawed back at a later date if their subsequent performances are not satisfactory.

The Government and Gordon Brown will have been hoping that the Chancellor’s earlier announcement would have seen an end to this matter, but these reports will concern ministers.

An RBS source confirmed that the Government had been forced to find “a happy compromise.” That meant allowing RBS to pay what it legally owed and making sure RBS’s ability to operate was not “destroyed.”

The Treasury said that deferred bonuses - for those who were in the most profitable parts of the bank and had continued to make it money in 2008 - could only be claimed if the employee remained at RBS. They would be paid in the form of capital, not cash, in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: “It is simply unacceptable that banks who have had to rely on taxpayer guarantees and handouts should pay bonuses to staff that are directly linked to their failures. It is important now that all the other banks are brought into line on pay, if we are to create a more stable financial system in the longer term.”

Employment minister Mr. McNulty accused the ex-MI5 chief of playing into the hands of terrorists herself with “misguided talk”. The senior minister accused the highly respected Dame of talking “abject nonsense” following her claims of that the erosion of civil liberties is pushing the country towards a police state.

It was reported in the Daily Telegraph told yesterday how Dame Stella had claimed fear of terrorism was being exploited to erode liberties which risked creating a police state and playing into the hands of terrorists.

She won widespread support for her warnings, but in a stinging response, Mr McNulty, a former police minister in the Home Office, said: “I have enormous respect for the work and experience of Dame Stella Rimington but I think on this she is totally and utterly wrong.

“Wrong to suggest that had all the things we planned been passed we’d have been a police state, and wrong to suggest we have somehow stumbled towards a police state.”

 He added: “Sadly I think talk, misguided talk, by informed commentators such as Stella Rimington, talking about a police state in any regard in the UK, does the job that she is accusing us of potentially doing.

Dame Stella, 73, who was director general of MI5 between 1992 and 1996, told the Spanish La Vanguardia newspaper: “It would be better that the Government recognised that there are risks, rather than frightening people in order to be able to pass laws which restrict civil liberties, precisely one of the objects of terrorism: that we live in fear and under a police state.”

The row grew as research by the Convention on Modern Liberty claimed the roll out of various databases and programmes such as ID cards to help spy and monitor the public will cost the public more than £34 billion over the next decade.

The Home Office is also about to publish plans for a significant expansion of state surveillance, with powers for the police and security services to monitor every email, as well as telephone and internet activity.

Despite the strong attack from Government, Dame Stella continued to receive support from senior figures last night.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: “Dame Stella is absolutely right to warn that the erosion of civil liberties merely reduces us to the same level and moral standing as the terrorists, which is precisely what they want.

“We must never become what we are fighting.”

East Marsh Involve (EMI) is a community led organisation that was set up to represent the residents of the whole of the East Marsh Ward. They hold monthly meetings where matters of mutual concern can be raised with and discussed with your Ward Councillors as well as with representatives from Humberside Police, Shoreline Housing Partnership and many others. 

This month’s meeting will be held this coming Tuesday, 24 February 2009 and will start at 6 pm – as usual the venue will be the Grimsby Neighbourhood Centre which is situated on the corner of Wellington Street and Weelsby Street.  

As usual the agenda will include a Humberside Police Report, Ward Councillors Report, Development Worker’s Report and other matters of interest relating to the East Marsh. 

Prior to the main East Marsh Involve meeting there will be a meeting of the Priority Action Team, which will start at 5 pm and will be held in the sane venue. The aim of this meeting is to discuss Neighbourhood Crime issue, which will then be priotorised by the police prior to the next meeting.

  Howard Dean, who was Chairman of the Democratic National Committee during President Obama’s election campaign, has agreed to be our guest speaker at the Liberal Democrat Spring conference in Harrogate, 6 - 8 March 2009.

  Howard Dean was a frontrunner in 2004 for the Democratic Presidential nomination, when he spoke out so inspiringly against the Iraq war.

As well as a reforming Governor of Vermont, Howard is an advocate of community politics and was a pioneer in internet campaigning and grassroots fundraising.

If you haven’t booked already, it’s not too late to join Nick Clegg and Howard Dean in Harrogate on 6 - 8 March. Visit www.libdems.org.uk/conference for more information.

Commenting on today’s Government figures showing that house prices are falling at a record annual rate, Liberal Democrat Shadow Housing Minister, Sarah Teather said: “This is more worrying news for homeowners as house prices continue to fall through the floor.”

“But there isn’t even a silver lining for potential first time buyers as they face sky-high mortgage costs, leaving the dream of a first home as far away as ever.

“The Government must make the most of this opportunity to rebuild social housing by buying up land now while it is cheap.”

Commenting on today’s inflation figures, which show that the Retail Price Index has fallen to a 49-year low, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: “One of the few reassuring facts for hard-pressed families is that inflation is now virtually disappearing.”

“Nonetheless, the rate of inflation is not totally believable for people being hit by increases in Council Tax and higher food prices as a result of the falling pound.

“It is becoming clear that for the foreseeable future there is a higher risk of deflation than inflation, which is why it is inevitable and sensible that the Bank of England should be moving towards expansion of credit and the money supply directly.”

  Commenting on today’s Conservative local government proposals, Liberal Democrat Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary, Julia Goldsworthy said: “Rather than being radical, many of these proposals could have been copied straight from the Government’s agenda.”

  “The Tories only talk about localism when it suits them, and when they do they think it makes sense to force elected mayors on cities hand picked from Westminster.

“What this makes clear is that the Tories, like the Government, have no intention of reforming the grossly unfair Council Tax that they created. Rather than tinkering, the whole system should be scrapped and replaced with a fair tax based on the ability to pay.”

Responding to comments made by Number 10 that the total nationalisation of the Lloyds Banking Group is not on the table, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: “This is a u-turn waiting to happen. With Lloyds continuing to be dragged down by the weight of HBOS’s losses, it is highly irresponsible to not even have nationalisation as an option.”

“It is frankly out of the question that the Lloyds giant will be allowed to go under, so the Government must be honest in its assessment that the total nationalisation of the bank is a distinct possibility.

“It was always clear that the HBOS takeover was a serious problem not only for long-term competition but also for the stability of Lloyds. This is why the Liberal Democrats were the only party to vote against the takeover.

“The Government and the Conservatives must appreciate we are in a new financial world. We must now concentrate on sorting out the British banks, even if this means further nationalisations in the short term.”

  This recession is an opportunity to shake off our preconceptions about men’s and women’s roles.

  In one of the most poignant scenes in The Full Monty, the wife of Gerald, a former steel mill foreman, discovers that he lost his job months earlier. He had hidden the truth by pretending to go to work every day. He couldn’t bear to admit that he was jobless. He was the breadwinner. She lived a life of stay-at-home middle-class aspiration. His shame and anguish at letting her down is extraordinarily painful to watch.   As the daily drumbeat of higher unemployment continues, I often wonder how many men must feel like Gerald. For many, full-time work remains the anchor of their identity. Despite growing gender equality, home and children are still widely regarded as the domain of women, the workplace the domain of men.   Yet a savage recession, like a war, shakes the traditional identity of men and women. In the Second World War it had a liberating effect of sorts. By 1943 more than 7.25 million women were employed, two million more than before the war. They weren’t just in traditional “female” jobs - by 1944, 40 per cent of the engineering workforce were women. As this recession bears down on thousands of communities and families we must again be open to reinventing ourselves. Many men will be forced to let go of their earlier identities and try something new - like the unemployed car worker in the West Midlands who explained on Newsnight last week that he was retraining to become a social worker. And many women may become the only family breadwinner for the first time. For many couples this will be unsettling and deeply disruptive to the settled patterns of life, work and marriage. A new flexibility in which men and women are supported in reinventing themselves will be vital in helping many thousands of families through this recession.  For women, this means that Government must come down hard on employers who appear to be sacking them more readily than men. It is abhorrent that some employers are reported to be firing women on the eve of maternity leave. In many cases young women returning from maternity leave find that their old job has been drastically downgraded. Active support - including free legal advice - must be given to women in this situation.  

Better childcare would also revolutionise women’s ability to find work. The Government provides help with the cost of childcare only when a child has turned 3. The cost of private childcare before that is simply crippling for many parents. For a minuscule fraction of the money poured down the gullets of bloated banks, we could provide universal childcare from 18 months, liberating thousands of mothers to strike a better balance between work and home.  

Job sharing should increase dramatically. Only 0.6 per cent of those in employment in this country share jobs. In other countries it is the norm for many women, and not just in low-paid jobs. One of my cousins in the Netherlands worked for years as a top lawyer while sharing her desk 50-50 with another colleague.  

But some of the biggest changes that still need to take place are in the traditional perceptions of “male” work. Some months ago I suggested that more men should take up jobs in nurseries as childminders. At present, only 1 per cent of childminders are men. Yet surveys show that around a quarter of men would consider this kind of role. This is not some outlandishly meterosexual suggestion: at the Sheffield Children’s Centre near my constituency (and a stone’s throw from The Full Monty locations) exactly half the employees are men, including former steelworkers and former miners from Sheffield and Hartlepool. I was stunned when my office received complaints that it was inappropriate work for men, with a barely disguised hint of suspicion about why men would want to spend so much time with young children.  

Rigidity in how parental leave is structured must change too. Mothers can take up to a year, fathers only two weeks. It is a special time, which I am about to experience myself with the birth of our third child, and I will savour every second. But this split is out of step with the reality of many modern families, and discourages fathers from making a commitment to the care of their own children.  

Yet countless fathers would like to be more involved with their sons and daughters, and there is overwhelming evidence that this can have a lasting effect on the educational and emotional development of children, especially young boys. The present rules make it almost impossible for young mothers to go back to work early, even if their husbands and partners are ready to stay at home.  

It is high time we moved into line with other European countries where interchangeable parental leave has long been the norm.  

At a time of acute national economic turmoil, we all need to innovate to create new opportunities as old ones disappear. Gerald was brave when he lost his old identity - and his clothes - as he started anew. So were the women who worked in our wartime factories. They showed us what is possible if we are brave enough to leave old assumptions behind.

Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg

Today, the Telegraph online are highlighting the fact that almost 40 per cent of supermarket food packaging cannot be easily recycled, according to a study by the Local Government Association. Excessive supermarket food packaging is undermining householders’ efforts to recycle and adding to council tax bills, according to the LGA report.

The unnecessary packaging contributes to the estimated £1.8 billion councils will spend on landfill tax between 2008 and 2011, increasing the pressure for increases in council tax.

Researchers assessed the packaging in a typical shopping basket at eight supermarkets.

Waitrose had the heaviest packaging (802.5 grams) and Tesco the lightest (645.5 grams).

Lidl had the lowest level of packaging that could be easily recycled and Sainsbury’s had the highest.

Council leaders said that whilst people are recycling more rubbish their efforts are being held back by supermarkets.

They said supermarkets should pay towards recycling services so that more packaging can be recycled and council tax kept down.

Landfill tax costs councils £32 for every ton of rubbish they throw away, a figure that will rise to £48 a ton by 2010.

At current rates of landfill that will mean councils paying an extra £360 million in landfill taxes over the next two years. 

On Thursday, 28 August 2008 the Liberal Democrats raised concerns about the issue of excess packaging, it was claimed families now spend £470 on packaging each year, 1/6th of their food budget. Liberal Democrat MP, Jo Swinson is leading the campaign to tackle excess packaging and cut families’ bills.We are paying three times over for excess packaging:

Ø       The cost of the unnecessary packaging at the checkout

Ø       The increased council taxes and landfill taxes

Ø       The environmental cost of more waste going to landfill for years to come

In the 2006-7 session of parliament Jo Swinson tabled a parliamentary motion that attracted cross-party support from 179 MPs.  The motion has been re-tabled for the new session.

In October 2007 she presented a Private Members Bill, entitled Packaging (Reduction) Bill, to Parliament. The Government did not allocate the Bill sufficient Parliamentary time before the end of the 2006-07 session for it to proceed further than the presentation stage.

What you can do about excess packaging:

Ø       Contact Jo with your worst examples of excess packaging: swinsonj@parliament.uk 

Ø       Lobby your MP to add their name to EDM 188. You can contact your MP via www.writetothem.com

Ø       Write direct to DEFRA at Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR

Ø       Raise the issue with your local supermarket - ask if they will recycle your packaging for you

Jo Swinson also highlighted that there will increased council taxes and landfill taxes; environmental cost of more waste going to landfill for years to come; the UK households send around 5 million tonnes of packaging waste to landfill each year; more than 17 billion plastic bags are given away by UK supermarkets each year; and the total domestic waste produced in Britain has increased 21% since 1997, to over 26 million tonnes; household recycling in the UK has increased from 6% to 23%, but this has only managed to keep pace with the total increase in waste

  A total of 150 streets are to become 20mph zones – in full or in part – throughout North East Lincolnshire. This is a major initiative on behalf of the Council; it sends out a clear message – “Twenty’s Plenty”. It is a well known fact that speed kills and a child will stand a much greater chance of surviving, if this scheme is introduced. 

  The public consultation will end on March 4. In the meantime, staff and pupils at the schools involved have welcomed the move. It will benefit schools right across the Borough; however two schemes will assist local children attending Weelsby Street Primary and St Mary’s Primary Schools in East Marsh. A number of children from the ward also attend Queen Mar Avenue Infant, William Barcroft and Elliston Street Primary Schools in Cleethorpes – therefore all of these schemes are particularly welcome. 

Throughout the Borough there are many other schools that will benefit from the “Twenty’s Plenty” initiative, and it is hoped that motorists will stick rigorously to the speed limits and take extra care.

Commenting yesterday on reports that the Foreign Office solicited a letter from the US State Department which forced British judges to block publication of torture evidence in the case of Binyam Mohamed, Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary, Edward Davey said: “This could represent one of the most outrageous deceptions of Parliament, the judiciary and the British people.”

“There must be an immediate investigation, with all related correspondence made public.

“The Foreign Secretary must not block publication this time.”

Over the last ten years there has been a 61% increase in the number of liver transplants as a result of alcohol misuse, according to figures revealed by the Liberal Democrats.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Don Foster said: “These figures are a stark warning about the impact alcohol is having on health services in this country. Britain’s binge drinking culture is causing serious long-term health problems for an ever-increasing number of people.

“This Government has made endless pronouncements about tackling alcohol misuse but has failed to take any real action. Ministers are sitting on their hands while irresponsible retailers continue to sell alcohol at pocket money prices.

“We need a radical new approach to the alcohol-related problems in this country. Parents, young people, and the alcohol industry must all play their part if we’re to have any hope of dealing with the country’s binge drinking problem.

“Recent studies have proven that the cheaper alcohol is, the more people drink. None of us want to pay more for our alcohol, but with this crisis on our hands we have to look again at raising the price of the cheapest alcohol.”

  The Quality and Innovation Fund a £6 million fund set up to get children to go to the theatre and experience the arts was cancelled before a “single penny” of it was spent, the Liberal Democrats Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Don Foster discovered by asking a series of Parliamentary Questions.

Barbara Follett, the culture minister, answered him: “Money for the proposed Quality and Innovation Fund was reallocated to other pressing priorities.”

Don Foster accused the Government of failing to deliver on its promises. “Ministers should be ashamed of pulling the rug out from beneath thousands of children and young artists who could have benefited from this money.

“Time and again this Government has shown that it’s great at the glitzy announcements but then can’t be relied on to deliver.”

Mrs. Follett’s admission comes days after the launch of a Government-funded scheme to provide 618,000 free theatre tickets for young people aged under 26.

That scheme, heralded last year by Culture Secretary Andy Burnham, cost £2.5 million. It was originally meant to deliver one million tickets.

Don Foster also said: “It’s an incredibly cynical move for ministers to announce millions of pounds for worthy projects such as free theatre tickets – cancel the funding when it suits them – and then re-announce a similar scheme with less than half the funding.”

He calculated that if the original £6 million fund had been used to finance free theatre tickets, then up to 1.5 million could have been provided.  

Commenting on today’s Home Office figures showing that police officers are spending less time on the beat and more time doing paperwork, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson, Tom Brake said: “Actions speak louder than words. The Government talks the talk when it comes to cutting bureaucracy, yet police officers are struggling under a growing mountain of forms.”

“We need officers on the street, not at their desks struggling to complete convoluted tick box forms.

“The Government must wean itself off its addiction to centralised police targets and its obsession with creating new offences to allow police forces to concentrate on policing.”

  Changes to European working time laws could lead to dangerous shortages in fire cover across the UK, the Liberal Democrats warned today. 

  The European Parliament recently passed rules that would scrap Britain’s opt-out from the European Working Time Directive. This could mean that retained firefighters, who often have other jobs, would have to drastically cut the hours they are available to the fire service.

Many areas already have problems with recruiting retained firefighters, with over half of posts unfilled.

The rule changes would not affect most other EU countries where part-time firefighters work on a voluntary basis and are therefore not covered by the opt-out.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary, Julia Goldsworthy said: “People mustn’t be penalised for choosing to stick to working time hours, but neither should people who want to help in their communities.

“Retained firefighters are a crucial part of the UK’s emergency services.

“The fact the rules wouldn’t affect voluntary firefighters elsewhere in the EU is simply unfair.

“Liberal Democrats are campaigning hard to keep the opt-out for retained firefighters and ensuring the emergency services are able to provide a flexible and high-quality service across the UK.”

Two opinion polls showed a dramatic increase in support for the Liberal Democrats, and now a third poll for yesterday’s Independent on Sunday shows that Liberal Democrats have nearly moved into second place – Labour are now in terminal decline! Over the last month their support as declined substantially and now only one in four of the population say that they will be voting Labour at the next General Election. 

The ComRes poll for The Independent on Sunday gives the Tories a 16 point lead.
Conservative                     41% (no change)
Labour                             25% (down 7%)
Liberal Democrat            22% (up 7%)
Others                             12% (no change)
 
The three-point gap is the narrowest between Labour and the Liberal Democrats across all polls for 22 years, since May 1987, apart from a “freak” poll in September 2003, after the Iraq war and the Hutton inquiry hearings, which put all three parties on 31 per cent. This is a remarkable change of fortune for the Liberal Democrats, but not surprising the Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg as a strong team around him. Vince Cable outshines all other politicians on the economy; Chris Huhne is competent and very capable on the Home Affairs brief; and they also have a youthful team with members such as: Julia Goldsworthy; Sarah Teather; Jeremy Browne; and Jo Swinson. 

The poll is extremely bad news for Gordon Brown; he is now quickly running out of options. In many ways he will still wants to go to country this year – but it would be electoral suicide. Obviously there will be a great deal of soul searching in the Labour Party, and I am sure that some members will compare and contrast with those dark old days when Michael Foot was the Labour Party Leader. I am not saying that Gordon is in such a dire position as poor Michael Foot, but the party is haemoraging, and up and down the country members and councillors are leaving in their droves.   

Possibly, one of the main reasons for the surge in the Liberal Democrats has been the performance of Vince Cable, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor who was widely praised for his response to the banking crisis. Shortly, he will resume temporary reign of the party which could push the Liberal Democrat poll rating higher. The survey poll will trigger fresh speculation about which party the Liberal Democrats would back in a hung parliament. 

In May 1987, a month before the general election, the SDP/Liberal Alliance was on 30 per cent, overtaking Neil Kinnock’s Labour Party on 28 per cent. Last month’s IoS poll gave the Tories a lead of 9 per cent.

Commenting on today’s [Monday] CBI report, which estimates that the Government will need to borrow almost £100bn more than previously forecast in trying to bring the recession under control, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Jeremy Browne said: “Alistair Darling’s forecast that the economy would start to grow again in July never looked very plausible, and now looks absurd.”

“Government borrowing inevitably rises during a recession, but Britain now has a serious structural deficit due to Gordon Brown’s mismanagement of the public finances.

“Instead of ineffective measures like a temporary VAT reduction, the Government should be helping the economy through green infrastructure projects and permanent tax cuts for people on low and middle incomes.”

It is worth noting that all you young lovers and those of us who are in getting on little bit (like myself) that today is not all about love and romance. St Valentine is regarded as the patron Saint of love but it is also worth noting that he was the patron saint of epilepsy.

Information on the origins of St. Valentine’s connection to epilepsy differs. Some accounts suggest he is connected to epilepsy because the name Valentine is similar to the German word for “fallen.” Epilepsy was once known as the “falling sickness” because some seizures caused a person to lose consciousness and fall. Still other legends propose that a third century bishop named Valentine von Terni freed the son of a Roman orator from an epileptic seizure.

It is also worth noting that we are now here in the twenty first century, and still today epilepsy is often a misunderstood medical condition – people often believe that it is a mental health condition when it is not. And, government simply do not give it the priority that it deserves – some patients have poor access to drugs that will give them full control of their seizures or they have poor lifestyles because of the horrific side-effects. Over the years, I have tried many of these drugs but I am lucky that I got good quality teatment, and I have been seizure free for over 18 months.

Thinking of love, I am today missing my wife Carol who today is in hospital recovering from an operation – I know she is excellent hands and have already spoken to her today. Naturally, I am thinking about Carol and I am letting everyone know that I am truly missing her and still after 30 odd years I sill send her love and kisses.

Regular readers of this website will know that I have been running an Online Survey for the last month; with the following question: “It is high time the unfair Council Tax was scrapped and replaced with a fair tax based on the ability to pay. DO YOU AGREE?”

Liberal Democrat Councillors, supporters, and activists have all campaigned to replace the council tax with a local income tax based on individual’s ability to pay, and that is crucial. It cannot be right that a pensioner or an engineer, a barrister or a nurse, a taxi driver or the Prime Minister, it doesn’t matter: if you live in a flat in the same Council tax band, you pay the same Council Tax!

With this in mind, I am not surprised that over 40 people voted in the online poll and overwhelmingly 90% of you were in favour of the Liberal Democrat proposals – “axe the tax”.

Today, I am announcing a new online poll – it is now time for change at the heart of government. We are on the brink of bankruptcy, and the government needs to act swiftly. But who is the person the resolve economic crisis – I have my own opinion, but I will leave it up to you.

The online poll is: Who is the best person to lead Britain’s economic recovery?

  Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable urged the government to take more decisive action to get credit moving in the economy, but said the losses at HBOS left questions to be asked about the merger with Lloyds. 

  Vince Cable said with regards to massive HBOS losses: “It confirms that the Banking Industry is in a terrible shape, and there will be more big losses coming through.”

  Vince Cable went on to say: “The government’s decided this enormous bank is too big to fail… it has sort of drifted into an almost nationalisation- it’s going to have to act decisively and use these banks to ensure credit flows into British companies…. but it refuses to embrace the word ‘nationalisation’ - it must be more decisive.”

Vince Cable said that the acquisition of HBOS had occurred at a time when the banks were collapsing and it was difficult to see alternatives, but added that he’d had reservations.

“I did express concern - and some others did- over the effect it would have on competition and the loss of the Scottish operations, but questions have to be asked about this acquisition and who was driving it.” 

Robert Peston described the situation as “pretty serious”

Commenting on the news that Sri Lanka has rejected Gordon Brown’s nomination of Des Browne as special envoy to the country, Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary, Edward Davey said: “To avoid this becoming a political embarrassment, Brown must now take tougher action.”

“The Sri Lankan government’s behaviour has been unacceptable for too long and this is the last straw.  The Government must seek a UN Security Resolution for an immediate ceasefire.”

According to the old proverb anything that can go wrong will obviously go wrong on “Friday the Thirteenth”, and being a politician at times some events can be even more embarrassing than others.

This morning, I was up at my usual time; “bright eyed and bushy tailed”, but I had to be out much earlier for an 8am meeting. I left home at about 7.30am on my pedal cycle as usual, but rather nervously; mainly because of last night’s snow – I had totally forgotten what day it was. The date was the last thing on my mind; however upon returning home – it soon dawned upon me! Yes, it was “Black Friday” – but what could go wrong?

Photograph of the Birds Eye Site (which is now nearly cleared) – courtesy of Grimsby Evening Telegraph                                                       

 As usual, I switched my computer on, and then went through to the kitchen to make a coffee; while the kettle was boiling I started to read the Grimsby Evening Telegraph, which Carol my wife had conveniently left on the computer desk. On the front page was a photograph of myself in front of 105 Roberts Street, but unfortunately the article underneath and on page one was about Birds Eye – not 105 Roberts Street! But to be fair to Paul Smith who had written the article, I must give him credit – it was and excellent article.

Unfortunately it appears as though the curse of “Friday the Thirteenth” had struck Councillor Beasant, and the Grimsby Evening Telegraph – “spooky stuff”! Well, how did it happen; in some respects the explanation is simple. On this occasion I was interviewed for both articles on the same day; however the photographs were taken on different days, but by the same photographer. So, potentially it was either: human error, the gremlins, or the curse of Friday the Thirteenth – I am not really bothered which but I generally get good publicity from the Telegraph, and I have taken it in good faith. The main thing to me is the fact that both stories are “good news” for the East Marsh!

As most people know who live in the area arsonists set fire to the Birds Eye Factory on September 12, 2007 which destroyed the factory. The site is now earmarked for new housing but unfortunately last July the developer went into administration. However, as I said to Paul Smith, I am confident that someone will come forward to develop the, Paul quoted me as saying:

“The site is now nearly clear. There is still a long way to go and still a lot more to do, but we are hoping we are now getting to the stage where the site will begin to be marketable. 

“We have seen two sights nearly developed on Ladysmith Road and now we want to see this one developed which would be fantastic news. 

“I think there is a good chance that if we get ownership of that land sold on that this can move forward very, very quickly now.” 

As I have already said, I was also interviewed about 105 Roberts Street on the same but this article has not yet appeared in the Telegraph. I told Paul Smith that this had been empty for a number of years and was in danger of becoming another hazard like Birds Eye – it had fallen into disrepair. Many people will remember it as a “grand vicarage”, very large; but it was later turned into a residential home and then flats.

Unfortunately, while it was left derelict the building was ransacked – all the copper pipes, radiators, lead flashing, and anything else of value were removed. Young people were often seen in the building, and attempts were made to set the building on fire – fortunately while the building was empty there were no reported accidents.  

In recent months, I have worked closely with Environmental Services and the Empty Home’s Officer, and this has lead to a successful Demolition Order. It is hoped that in the near future four new properties will be built on the site.

Photograph of 105 Roberts Street (which is now nearly cleared) – courtesy of Grimsby Evening Telegraph

Commenting on the Conservatives’ empty homes plans, which would lower social housing standards, Liberal Democrat Shadow Housing Minister, Sarah Teather said: “This shows just how out of touch the Tories are.”

“They have no idea of what it’s like for a family living in a social home. Lowering the standards in this way will condemn families to living in cramped or drafty homes for 15 or 20 years as they wait to be re-housed.

“To make a real difference to empty housing, we need to reduce VAT on renovation and rebuilding work to make bringing these homes back in to use much cheaper.”

Commenting on the criticism of the Government’s diploma qualifications by its own senior adviser Professor Adrian Smith, Liberal Democrat Shadow Education Secretary, David Laws said: “This is a damning criticism of the Government’s education policy. Ministers cannot simply ignore these comments from someone working at such a senior level in their own department.”

“These comments totally undermine what little faith there was in the new diplomas and there must now be even greater concern that our education system is failing to stretch the most able children.
 
“The fact that such a senior civil servant believes that ministers are exaggerating improvements will shatter confidence in the Government’s entire education strategy.”

Commenting on yesterday’s analysis of court statistics which reveal one parent is jailed every fortnight for their child’s truancy during term-time, Liberal Democrat Shadow Education Secretary, David Laws said: “While parents need to take responsibility for their children’s behaviour and have an obligation to ensure they attend school, the Government’s draconian strategy is failing. Truancy rates across the country remain sky-high.”

“It’s obvious that Labour’s top-down approach has failed. What is needed is a more effective local approach involving parents, schools and the police. 

“Extra investment to cut class sizes and provide more one-to-one support will enable teachers to work with individual children and make sure that they are engaged in the classroom.”

  Commenting on today’s Government announcement that obstacles remain to the use of intercept evidence, and news that the High Court has quashed the control order imposed on a terrorist suspect, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: “It is vital that the Government pushes for the use of intercept evidence in court as soon as possible.”

  “Both Australia and the United States accept intercept evidence in court. We are currently denying ourselves a key weapon in the fight against both terrorism and organised crime.

“Without it, ministers will continue to rely on increasing use of pre-charge detention and control orders, which have been dealt another blow by the High Court today.” 

Commenting on today’s ministerial statement announcing £25m cuts in Department for International Development spending, Liberal Democrat Shadow International Development Secretary, Michael Moore said: “Making this announcement on the day Parliament rises for recess shows that DfID is not above underhand tactics, especially when there was no mention of these cuts at yesterday’s International Development Questions.”

“Assisting Iraqis who worked for British forces is not development, but the MoD’s moral obligation as an employer. Repatriating former criminals and asylum seekers does not tackle global poverty, but covers up a shambolic immigration policy.

“It is simply scandalous that money is being diverted from the international development budget to plug shortfalls in other departments, particularly at a time when the developing world is facing a real crisis caused by the collapse of the Western banking system.”

   Commenting on the announcement that the Budget will not be delivered until the next financial year, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: “Alistair Darling is like a schoolboy struggling to get his homework in on time.”

  “Simply moving the deadline will not stop the Government having to finally make an honest assessment of the recession.

  “Different government ministers are giving radically different assessments of the state of the economy. We need clear and consistent leadership, based on a sensible appraisal of the economic situation.

“With many of the predictions and assumptions made in the PBR now completely irrelevant, Alistair Darling obviously needs a lot of time to try to get his sums right this time.”

Commenting on the announcement of the Government’s Heat and Energy Saving strategy, Liberal Democrat Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Simon Hughes said: “This is all spin and no ambition and a clear sign that the Government has no grasp of the scale of the problem.”

“Despite more than a decade of Labour announcements, less than one percent of all homes in the UK meet the Government’s own energy efficiency standard, leaving millions of people paying far more than they should to heat their homes.

“Rather than drag this out over four decades, the Liberal Democrats want to make every home a warm home within 10 years. We need a massive energy efficiency drive to create thousands of jobs and make homes greener and cheaper to heat.”

ADVICE on how to survive and thrive in the current, challenging economic climate is being offered at two drop-in events at Grimsby Town Hall this month. 

North East Lincolnshire Council, in partnership with Business Link and Yorkshire Forward, is hosting the events, called Survive and Thrive, in a bid to help local people and businesses cope with the effects of the credit crunch and the recession. 

The first session, on Monday February 23, from 10am to 4pm, will offer a range of support and advice for local businesses. On hand will be representatives from accountants Forrester Boyd, the Manufacturing Advisory Service, Henderson Insurance Brokers, the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme, the Federation of Small Businesses and Forward Ladies. 

The second event, held on Tuesday February 24, from 10am to 3pm and 4.30pm to 7pm, will offer specialist advice and support for individuals and families, bringing together experts and information on money, training, jobs and care. Among the attendees on this day will be the Grimsby College of Further and Higher Education, Connexions, Job Centre Plus, Working Links, the Citizens Advice Bureau, E-Factor and Shoreline. 

Tony Hunter, chief executive of the council, said: “The economic recession is affecting many people in our community, in their personal and working lives. The council, along with its partners, is determined to provide every support for people and businesses. We urge people who have concerns and who need information advice to come along to these events. Working together, we will emerge from these difficult times all the stronger.” 

Both events are free to attend; refreshments will be provided. For further details about either event, contact North East Lincolnshire Council on (01472) 313131.

According to BBC the new NHS computerised medical records system on trial at a London hospital has been criticised by a hospital boss for causing “heartache and hard work”. The Liberal Democrats have complained for many months at the slow progress and budget inefficiencies that have been caused since the implementation of this project. 

Andrew Way, chief executive of London’s Royal Free Hospital, said technical problems had cost the trust £10m and meant fewer patients could be seen.  

The Department of Health said lessons had been learnt from the trial.  

The England scheme, part of a £12bn IT upgrade, aims to put 50 million patient records on a secure database by 2014.  

The faulty system had also prevented the hospital from billing other parts of the NHS for treatment.  

Commenting on the announcement that Fujitsu has been sacked from the NHS IT contract, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said: “This is yet another example of a hopelessly flawed, centrally imposed project that has not been properly thought through from the start and was never subjected to a proper cost benefit analysis.  

“The termination of Fujitso’s contract is another blow to the Government’s £12.7bn national IT scheme, and it comes hard on the heals of the NAO report found that the programme would be completed four years behind schedule. 

Even following Norman Lamb’s intervention in May 2008 and the sacking Fujitsu the problems still have not yet been resolved – this is an “ever ending saga”!

The Tories have attacked the government for not investing enough in social housing.

During a debate in Parliament, the Tories Shadow Housing Secretary claimed the government had squandered money on its homebuy products that could have been better spent elsewhere.

He said money should be spent providing incentives for communities to build housing that meets local needs.

Ms Beckett, the Housing Secretary said the government is taking steps to encourage house building, and is addressing problems with the planning system.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Housing Secretary, Sarah Teather noted that housing associations are struggling to get finance to build homes, and said it is vital a solution to this problem is found.

“We must keep building,” Sarah Teather said. “If we stop building in this recession, when banks start lending again there will be a real danger of hyper-inflation in the housing market - need does not go away because people cannot get mortgages, and people do not stop needing social housing because there is not enough available.”

Construction orders have fallen by a quarter over the last year, according to official figures.

The Office of National Statistics data shows orders fell 25 per cent between the final quarter of 2007 and the final quarter of 2008.

There was a 9 per cent drop between the third and fourth quarters of 2008.Simon Rubinsohn, chief economist at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, said the government must inject more money into the construction sector.

“Bringing forward capital funding for vital projects will have the advantage of delivering much needed housing and infrastructure but will also go someway to preventing an employment crisis in the industry,” he said.

Figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders, also published today, show the number of people buying a home has fallen to its lowest level since 1974.

Liberal Democrats have argued for some time that the government should take advantage of the housing slowdown to buy cheap land for social housing.

Liberal Democrats Shadow Housing Secretary, Sarah Teather said: “With the housing market in the doldrums and no-one building new houses, many more construction workers may lose their jobs.

“Ministers must use this opportunity to buy cheap land and replenish the social housing stock, which would safeguard these vital jobs.”

  Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg  delivered a speech to the thinktank IPPR on redistributing power and the road to economic recovery.

  In his speech, he discussed the need for short-term nationalisation of Britain’s weakest banks, and an immediate end to bonuses for board members and senior management. Nick Clegg said that banks can no longer justify a bonus system that destabilises the financial system.

Nick Clegg also said that Britain can have, and should have, a global hub for international finance in the City of London. But that financial businesses such as hedge funds should not expect to be protected to a higher degree than punters in betting shops and casinos.

Nick Clegg said: “Many major UK banks are judged by the markets to be either broke or close to it. The model successive governments have pursued for regulating our banks failed utterly. And a few half-hearted apologies from the bankers and regulators - the architects of this disaster - are not a solution.

“What those bankers, and Gordon Brown’s government, do not seem to recognise is that we cannot simply patch up the old system of banking with a few changes and a bit of whitewash.

“In the short term, we need temporary nationalisation of our weakest banks.

“We need to cut through the nonsense about bonuses and stop them, right now, at board and senior management level. Banks can no longer justify a system of pay that destabilises the financial system.

“Britain can have, and should have, a global hub for international finance in the City of London. But those who invest in these high risk products should not expect to be protected to a higher degree than punters in betting shops and casinos.”

To read Nick Clegg’s speech to IPPR on economic recovery  >> CLICK HERE << 

Children are at the heart of a series of events designed to make Grimsby’s Nunsthorpe Estate a safer and a more fun place to be. 

The Safer Communities Week of Action which is taking place on the Nunsthorpe and Bradley Park begins tomorrow until 22 February, is a multi a agency partnership approach to reducing crime and anti-social behaviour. 

A series of fun events are planned during the week, designed to bring the community together, and there will also be more police patrolling the streets. 

The climax of the week of action will be the Nunsthorpe Extravaganza Day on Saturday, February 21, at the Second Avenue Resource Centre, between 11am and 4pm. 

Sport Lincs will be on hand to supply a range of activities, including a balloon race, and Safer Communities will offer crime-cracking advice.  

Pupils at Woodlands Primary School, on Pinewood Crescent, have created a poster to publicise the event. 

Councillor Steve Beasant, North East Lincolnshire Council’s portfolio holder for communities and neighbourhoods, said: “We had a relatively high crime rate and this is coming down. 

“But if young people are aware that burglary is high it can only be a good thing that they take message home.

“The children are telling me what happens on the Nunsthorpe and if they know, they will tell their parents – who are more likely to listen to their kids than they are to local authorities. 

“That will improve the security of the area which we need to do – they are telling me that we should keep our doors and windows locked at all times – it’s not rocket science – they know that the burglar gets in through an easy access.” 

The pupils who created the poster were Joe Doyle (eight), Morgan Harrison (nine), Cameron Croft (eight), Joe Banks (nine), Nicole Nelson (11) and Joshua Rutter (seven). 

Cameron said: “I know that we need to be more secure to stop burglaries happening.”

Joshua added: “The week of action is good because it will make me want to be secure. I think I want to be a policeman.” 

Morgan said: “We are proud of our poster.” 

Spencer Hunt, the council’s service manager for safer communities, said: “We have consulted with the community to make this fun day an event to do Nunsthorpe proud.

“The message is that as a community, we can pull together to achieve long-lasting improvements.” 

Shortly following the Nunsthorpe and Bradley Park Week of Action there will be another Week of Action on the Littlecoates Estate – watch this website for further details (it will begin on 27 February and end 8 March)

According to the Guardian online the Liberal Democrats will today increase the pressure on government over its own environmental plans. They will promise that every UK home will be made energy-efficient within 10 years in a compulsory revamp of British housing stock equivalent to the “digital switchover”.

The party’s ambitious pledge increases pressure on the government, which will today announce its own plans to offer voluntary eco-makovers to one in four British homes.

The issue of energy-efficient households has been targeted by fuel poverty activists and climate change campaigners alike, and local councils have also campaigned for to measures to overcome fuel poverty. Only a few months ago at our full council meeting I moved a notice of motion campaigning for better home insulation, an emphasis on renewable energy, and an end to pre-payment meters which was seconded by Councillor Les Bonner.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Simon Hughes said: “One per cent of our current stock being energy-efficient is pathetic. The trouble with the government’s proposals so far is that they are mere pimples on the surface.”

Last week the National Audit Office reported that as much as half of Britain’s poorest households were ineligible for help from the £852m Warm Front scheme to cut fuel bills with grants for home insulation and heating.

In the announcement today Simon Hughes will propose that the government underwrites renovation work worth £6,500 per household, adopting as party policy a recommendation that was originally made by the independent Energy Saving Trust, which was also adopted as party policy recently by the Conservatives.

Within what the Liberal Democrats are calling the national green loans scheme, householders would apply for commercial loans to revamp their homes, with the cost being repaid through energy bills that should fall because of improved energy efficiency of the renovated house.

Of the total, £5,000 would pay for the cost of the renovation work, and £1,500 would cover administration.

The party would aim at upgrading more than two million homes a year for 10 years, and would award the contracts to regional building companies rather than large national companies such as Wimpey and Barratt.

Simon Hughes said: “The national bill will be very expensive – almost £1.5bn – but annually we spend £200bn on house building across the country and £80bn collectively doing DIY in our homes.”

The Metropolitan Police’s decision not to open a police inquiry into members of the House of Lords who allegedly claimed to have secured amendments for paying clients has been condemned by Chris Huhne.

The Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: “I can understand the difficulties facing the police given the unreformed and unclear state of the law on bribery, which is subject to recent reform proposals from the Law Commission.

“However, this is a disappointing decision because it is simply false to say that internal procedures will be able to deal with these cases, given that there is not even a mechanism for expelling miscreants.

“Cash for amendments is even more serious than the cash for questions scandal, which caused the Commons to clean up its act in the Nineties.

“There is a clear legal precedent, established by Mr. Justice Buckley in 1992, for the prosecution of a Member of Parliament for the common law offence of bribery in the case against Harry Greenway MP. Members of Parliament, including members of the Lords, should not be above the law. It should apply equally to all of us.”

  Commenting on today’s [Thursday] NAO report which reveals the extent of the delays in the Government’s Building Schools for the Future Programme, Liberal Democrat Shadow Schools Secretary, David Laws said: “Ministers have to explain how they have managed to make such a mess of this programme. This flagship Government policy is now running two years behind schedule and an estimated £10bn over budget.

  “Local authorities were given unrealistic expectations about having all their secondary schools rebuilt. Many are now left wondering if their much-needed new schools will ever be built.

“It is staggering that the people involved with this chaotic programme are apparently receiving performance bonuses. With spiralling costs and lengthy delays, such bonuses should clearly be withheld.

“At a time when the construction industry is crying out for large-scale capital projects, it is unacceptable that this scheme has failed to deliver on its promises.”

Comment: I agree with David Laws remarks; however here in North East Lincolnshire our BSF programme is on track – we already have two new schools built, and two further schools will begin on site within months. The problem is that this has been an “hit and miss” progamme nationally.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said on the BBC 4 Today programme the film Dutch MP Geert Wilders planned to show to members of the House of Lords was “revolting”, and said there was a clear dividing line, “complete freedom of speech up to the point where you threaten others”.

“Freedom of Speech is absolutely crucial. I don’t take lightly that you should ban someone coming into the country. I think though in any civilised society there is a dividing line between freedom of speech and incitement to violence, incitement to hatred.

“I’ve seen the film. It is revolting. It is inciting people into violence. I don’t think any minority should be out any position where potentially they could be harmed.

“The dividing line is very clear – complete freedom of speech up to the point where you threaten others. At that point society must step in, whoever you are, whatever your background.”

Liberal Democrats focus on child development, violence against women in developing countries and children in refuges.

Last Thursday saw an interesting debate initiated by a woman peer in which three of our frontbench women peers spoke. Their subject was the need for measures to tackle violence against women and children, and Joan Walmsley, Lindsay Northover and Sue Miller all highlighted a different angle.

Joan, in opening the debate, explained the importance of the development of a child’s brain. She said: “A large research project in the USA called ACE has identified the specific effects on the child’s health and behaviour and on society of early childhood trauma, such as violence and sexual abuse or witnessing violence. In the case of the child, it causes: violent personality and anti-social behaviour; poor mental health; lower intelligence and impaired ability to learn; low emotional intelligence; poor physical health, such as an increased chance of heart attack and liver malfunction; career failure; and reduced happiness. The effects on society are: violence and anti-social behaviour; school underperformance, so that greater resources are needed to deal with it; economic underperformance and a lower tax take; poor personal relationships, leading to more broken families; high health expenditure on physical and mental health; and reduced societal happiness, leading to all kinds of effects, including more crime”.

Lindsay concentrated on the situation in developing countries, citing a figure from ActionAid which said that at least one in three women around the world had been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her life time. She continued: “As women are so often culturally the second sex, the incidence of general abuse is likely to be even higher. Violence is a key barrier to women realising their rights and achieving social justice”.  

Sue, in winding up the debate, focussed on the plight of children in refuges, saying: ”If we want to break the cycle of violence, it is essential to address the position of children in refuges, where at least two thirds of the residents are children for whom no statutory funding is available.” She was of the opinion that charitable fundraising for places for the children was likely to become more difficult in these straightened financial times. Further likely victims of the economic crisis were likely to be those women on low incomes. Research has shown, she said, that households with an income of less than £10,000 were 3.5 times more likely to experience domestic violence than those living in households with double that income.

Commenting on the resignation Sir James Crosby as Deputy Chairman of the FSA, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: “It is clear from Paul Moore’s evidence that James Crosby was part of the problem, not part of the solution. The FSA needs people with experience, but not the wrong experience.” 

“It is extraordinary that Gordon Brown ever made such an utterly inappropriate appointment.
 
“HBOS was one of the worst examples of a former building society, de-mutualised under the last Tory government, engaging in highly reckless lending.
 
“The fact that Sir James has fallen on his sword is beside the point. He should never have been appointed to such an important role in the first place.”

Commenting on reports that The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is expected to recommend the downgrading of ecstasy to a class B drug, which the Government is expected to ignore, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: “There is no point in paying for experts if ministers are going to dismiss their advice before they receive it and publicly pillory them for expressing a scientific opinion.”

“As the Government seems to favour rhetoric over evidence, perhaps ministers should cut out the middle men and go straight to a committee of tabloid newspaper editors.

 “Drug policy should be about facts and evidence, not posturing in press releases.”

  Commenting on today’s launch of a High Court bid by Binyam Mohamed’s lawyers to have evidence of his torture disclosed, Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary, Edward Davey said: “David Miliband does not seem to understand what the job of Foreign Secretary should be, especially when he claims that this Government objects to torture.”

  “Miliband’s bad judgement in blocking the courts from publishing this evidence of torture is being compounded by his refusal to press the new Obama administration to disclose this evidence freely.

“By failing to seek the disclosure of evidence of torture, the Foreign Secretary is putting the British Government in an extremely questionable position, and feeding the suspicions that it has something to hide.”

Commenting on today’s figures which show unemployment rose by 146,000 to 1.97 million between October and December, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Steve Webb said: “Whichever way the Government spins these figures, there are still four unemployed people for every vacancy across the country, and more than 20 in some areas.”

“These odds are crushing for people who find themselves unemployed for the first time. Ministers must scrap their ineffective VAT cut immediately and reinvest the money in infrastructure projects which will create jobs.

“The Government needs to give people training and support from the very first day of their unemployment, not force them to languish for 12 months on benefits before offering them real help.”

  Commenting on today’s claims by former HBOS executive Paul Moore that he was fired after raising concerns that the bank was exposing itself to too much risk Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: “This shows that there was a culture at HBOS where risks were ignored in the pursuit of ever-greater profits. 

  “It is deeply worrying that a whistleblower such as Paul Moore was elbowed out when he was clearly one of the few voices of reason during the boom years.

“Ultimately, executives of many of the UK’s major banks share a large part of the blame for the recession we now face. “For too long greed and gambling ruled the City, which the bankers involved should be ashamed of.”

Commenting on the Conservatives’ eight point plan for Britain’s railways, Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker said: “The Tories simply cannot be trusted to deliver the rail network that Britain needs.”

“They have embraced the concept of high speed rail, but they won’t say how they’ll pay for it and their plans won’t start until the Parliament after next.

“The Liberal Democrats have long called for a huge expansion of high speed rail, but unlike the Tories we will start directly after the next election and pay for it with a small surcharge on flights.”

In an article on the Telegraph online Liberal Democrat Shadow Children, Schools and Families and Secretary, David Laws claimed the government was prioritising teenagers on the cusp of getting C grades - officially a good pass - at the expense of the very brightest.

Figures show the number of pupils getting these grades in GCSEs has increased quicker over the last decade than in other areas.

Focusing on so-called “borderline” candidates can dramatically improve schools’ positions in national rankings.

The claims, from the Liberal Democrats, come amid claims comprehensives are shunning the most talented students.

A study last month said a “substantial core” of schools were failing to enter pupils on a programme designed to stretch the bright children for fear of promoting elitism.

Critics also claim schools are forced to “play the system” for fear they will be closed if they fail to hit national targets.

David Laws, said the rate of progress for pupils on the borderline of a C or D grade had “clearly been greater than across other grade boundaries”.

“There must now be a real concern that schools are being forced to concentrate on pupils at this key borderline in order to flatter the league tables,” he said.

“Ministers must now reform the whole target and league table system to give teachers a greater incentive to stretch and get the best from all their pupils.”

Currently, schools are ranked by the number of pupils gaining five A* to C grades in exams. The Government has threatened to close any school failing to ensure at least 30 per cent of teenagers hit the target.

It means schools have extra incentive in focusing on students predicted to get Ds - attempting to convert those in precious C grades.

The Liberal Democrats have pledged to scrap tables in their current form - replacing them with a more sophisticated system.

According to the Daily Mail online police are widely using anti-terrorism powers to stop and search suspects and it emerged yesterday that almost 180,000 suspects were stopped. However, only a small proportion was subsequently detained for terrorist-related offences – 255 individuals.

The figures suggest that police may be misusing powers granted to them under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 supposedly for use only in extreme circumstances.

The Home Office statistics, which were released to the Mail under Freedom of Information laws, show a ten-fold use in the power since its introduction.

In 2000-01, just 3,583 people were stopped under Section 44. Of these, only one was arrested for terrorism offences.

But in 2006-07, a staggering 37,197 were stopped and searched by officers.

Only 28 were subsequently arrested for terrorist-related offences.

Each search can take up to 20 minutes and individuals are asked a series of personal questions by police - including their ethnicity, height and eye colour.

Opposition MPs expressed concern about the use of Section 44.

In 2004 police used Section 44 against peace campaigner Walter Wolfgang when he made an anti-war protest during the Labour Party conference.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: ‘These startling figures suggest the main effect of random stop and search, as opposed to searches targeted at suspects by intelligence, is to annoy law-abiding citizens.

‘Rarely have so many police officers wasted so much police time to achieve so little.’

The legislation gives police the power to search, on anti-terror grounds, any individual in any area designated by the Home Secretary.

Officers do not need to show they have reasonable grounds to suspect a crime is about to take place.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary, Norman Baker recently highlighted concerns how the powers have been used against trainspotters who were taking photographs of railway carriages.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Don Foster has condemned Government plans to introduce legislation that will mean all petitions to local councils will have to meet set guidelines.

The Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill has eight pages and more than 3,000 words dedicated to the form that petitions must now take.

Don Foster said: “This Bill is, quite frankly, ludicrous. It will give councils the chance to throw out any number of petitions because they won’t meet the strict guidelines.

“We need to make it easier for local people to get involved in local politics, not discourage them by making submitting petitions a bureaucratic nightmare.”

Today, was a chance for the bankers who have made some major blunders to say sorry to the nation in front of the Treasury Select Committee; however in many ways it was a “damp squib”! 

Liberal Democrat Shadow Business Secretary, John Thurso during the hearing of Treasury Select Committee he called for the return of old-fashioned Captain Mainwaring-style bankers while questioning bank bosses at a Treasury Committee meeting.  

John Thurso said 99% of his constituents would not care if merchant bankers and arbitrage traders “disappeared down a black hole”.  

The Liberal Democrat added: “Could we get back to Captain Mainwaring running a bank we could trust?”  

Actor Arthur Lowe played Capt Mainwaring in the sitcom Dad’s Army.  

The character was a bank manager and Home Guard platoon commander.  

John Thurso, who represents Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, was among MPs questioning former Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) chief executive Fred Goodwin, Andy Hornby, former chief executive of HBOS, and Sir Tom McKillop, former RBS chairman, on the banking crisis.  

Responding to the far north MP’s Mainwaring comment, Sir Tom said: “Well I recognise that sentiment.”

Liberal Democrat MP, Norman Baker has written to the Speaker of the House of Commons asking for the rules governing claims for MPs’ second homes to be reconsidered.

In the letter, Norman Baker said: “To most people, the place where you and your family lives and perhaps did so before your election, where you return to when you are not working, and which serves as a base for your children to go to school, is your main residence.

“A ‘pied-à-terre’ in London, or a room in a relative’s house, cannot sensibly be regarded as a main residence. It is clearly a second residence.

“Yet this test seems not to be applied by all Members. Indeed, I understand one Member claims that his ancestral castle is his second home, and claims accordingly for the lichen to be removed from its walls. This cannot be right.”

  Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb will today table an Early Day Motion criticising LBC Radio presenter, Jeni Barnett for making unfounded remarks on the dangers of the MMR vaccine.

  Commenting, Norman Lamb said: “Suggesting that the MMR vaccine is dangerous in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary is massively irresponsible and could put children’s lives at risk.

“This kind of scaremongering has had a serious impact on public health in the last decade.

“Cases of measles have risen dramatically in the last three years. Jeni Barnett’s remarks could potentially affect the take-up of the vaccine, and I invite her to come with me to meet with a leading expert to learn more about the risks and advantages of vaccination.”

Commenting on today’s [Tuesday] BBC Trust review of children’s services and content, Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Don Foster said: “The BBC plays a hugely important role in providing original, high-quality British content for children and must continue to do so in the digital age.”

“There is much to be proud of in this review, but there are also areas of considerable concern which need to be addressed if the BBC is to fulfill its public purposes in this area.

“The decline in viewing figures for CBBC and the struggle to reach teenage audiences require urgent attention.

“Radio is another area where the BBC is not performing as well as it should. Despite the enormous potential offered by digital radio, awareness and reach remain extremely low.”

  Commenting on Jacqui Smith’s attack on Professor David Nutt for his comments on ecstasy, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: “This is a ludicrous overreaction to a comparison in an article designed to provide some context to the dangers involved in drug taking.”

  “For Professor Nutt to be savaged in this way is a poor precedent for academic freedom.

“There is no point in the Government employing expensive experts if it just rubbishes their advice.”

Ed Balls, the Children’s and Schools Secretary, said the downturn was likely to be the most serious for 100 years, and his comments appeared to raise the prospect of a return to the Far Right politics of the 1930s and the rise of Facism.

His warning, in a speech to activists at the weekend, came after a trade union baron warned that far right parties were trying to hijack the campaign for “British jobs for British workers”.

The row over foreign workers has gathered momentum in recent weeks and Mr Balls seemed to suggest the recession could trigger a return to the Far Right politics that prospered in the Great Depression of the 1930s.

“I think that this is a financial crisis more extreme and more serious than that of the 1930s and we all remember how the politics of that era were shaped by the economy.”

Mr. Balls remarks will be seen to be influential because he was a key adviser to Mr. Brown during his decade at the Treasury as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The Liberal Democrats compared the comments with those made by Treasury minister Baroness Vadera, when she claimed she was seeing “green shoots” of economic recovery, echoing remarks by former Tory Chancellor Norman Lamont in 1991.

She was criticised for saying last month: “I am seeing a few green shoots, but it’s a little bit too early to say exactly how they’d grow.”

Liberal Democrats Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: “Instead of giving clear and consistent leadership, government ministers are oscillating between complacent optimism and this doom laden picture of Armageddon.

“Surely the truth lies between the two? This is a serious crisis but not hopeless.”

The news came as the Financial Services Authority, the City watchdog, warned that the UK was at risk of a deeper-than-expected recession.

Earlier today, Nick Clegg, Jeremy Browne and I launched details of how we could fund the education proposals for England that we will be debating at our spring conference in Harrogate. The education policies we will debate offer long-term proposals to invest in every child from their first day in childcare, through their time at school, to their last day at university.

It is through education that we can break down the barriers to social mobility and truly create an opportunity society in Britain. We can train our young people to be productive members of our economy - filling skills gaps for industry and competing in the global economy.

With increased childcare, smaller class sizes and greater funding for the most disadvantaged we will ensure that we provide the best education for our children. With the abolition of tuition fees we will ensure that students are no longer crippled by debt and with greater support for adult education we will support life long learning.

Although few would disagree that we must improve the life chances of our children, in the midst of the most severe economic crisis for half a century, we need to demonstrate that our ambitious policies for our children’s futures can be afforded. Further tax rises or borrowings are simply not credible sources of finance for current spending. Only with reallocation of funds from lower priority government spending can we be certain we can meet these costs.

Over the last 6 months, Jeremy Browne and I have been carrying out a thorough and painstaking review of all central government spending. We have identified items of current expenditure that we believe are wasteful, wrong, unnecessary, or of low priority that in total would provide £20 billion to be reallocated to Liberal Democrat priorities. Those priorities will be spelled out in our manifesto. Today, however, we have identified the sort of tough choices that we are willing to make to fund our education commitments.

We would take those on higher incomes out of child tax credits as we simply don’t believe giving a complicated means tested benefit to those on incomes as high as MPs is an effective use of tax payers’ money. We will abolish the child trust fund so that we can help children now rather than offering a small cash payout to 18 year-olds. We will not force students to stay in education until they are 18 when for some it offers little, instead through policies like the pupil premium we will create an educational environment which more students want to stay in.

We will stop the bureaucratic, centralised approach of the Labour government which tells teachers down to the last letter what and how they can teach, and instead cut back on administration and unaccountable quangos, putting our trust back in teachers.

These choices that we are making on public spending a