Keeping you in touch with news and campaigns from the Liberal Democrats in Government  

Nick Clegg announced to the House of Commons this week that the coalition government would bring forward a Bill to introduce a referendum on fairer votes – the AV electoral system. Nick said, ‘We now have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to right the wrongs of the archaic First Past The Post system. A system which hands power to the lucky few who live in marginal constituencies and sucks it away from the vast majority of us who do not.’ You can find out more about our campaign at www.fairervotes.org.uk 

Tom Brake MP Welcomes Torture Inquiry  

The Prime Minister has said that there will be a judge led investigation into allegations that Britain was complicit in acts of torture of terrorist suspects under the last government. This is something that Liberal Democrats have long campaigned for. ‘This Inquiry will be the coalition Government’s opportunity to get to the bottom of what are very serious allegations,’ said Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake. Find out more  

Freedom Bill – Which laws do you want to scrap?  

Nick Clegg has also begun a consultation about which of Labour’s unnecessary and illiberal laws the British people would like to see repealed. This is part of our long standing commitment to restore our cherished civil liberties. You can contribute your ideas here.  

Lib Dems welcome Ken Clarke’s Prison Reforms  

The coalition government’s Justice Secretary, Ken Clarke, this week made clear that the government would radically overhaul existing prisons policy. 

‘Stopping vast numbers of people being locked up for non-violent crimes on short sentences was a key Liberal Democrat manifesto commitment. The Labour Government liked to talk tough on crime while reoffending rates in this country rose sky-high. We know that short-term prison sentences don’t reduce reoffending or cut crime,’ said the Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee for Home Affairs, Justice and Equality, Tom Brake. Find out more