The Liberal Party notes the continued closure of high street shopping chains, most recently Mothercare, selected branches of Debenhams and HMV as well as the department store chain Beales now entering administration.

The loss of high street retailers has a direct effect on local employment, reduced business rates income to councils and leave many urban centres in a derelict state.

A combination of changing shopping habits, online competition, increased business rates and perceived high rental costs continue to impose a heavy burden on conventional business.

Although many businesses are siting high rentals charges as an issue in itself, it should be noted these simply reflected market rates and should not be seen in isolation. Landlord are themselves businesses and lose rental income when business cease trading.

The party urgently calls upon the government to direct its efforts towards revitalising the nations highstreets with reform to the business rates system, and a level playing field for bricks and motor business regarding online competition.

There will be a Special Assembly and NEC meeting in Birmingham on the 1st February 2020.
 
It will be held in the Briar Rose Hotel, Bennett's Hill, Birmingham, B2 5RE and will run from midday till 4pm.
 
Please let Stephen Graham have any items you wish to have on the agenda and any motions for discussion in advanced.
 
Stephen would also like to supply letters delegating nominating rights and certificates of authority to stand as a party candidate to  anybody looking to stand in next may’s elections.

The basis of Liberal policy on government is that power and service provision is devolved down to the lowest and most local decision-making body consistent with the efficient use of resources. In this way, much of the power currently concentrated at Westminster and Whitehall could be devolved, leaving Parliament to manage the economy and international affairs.
 
We support further devolution of powers to the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly and call for a Cornish and English Regional Assemblies to be established.
 
Promoted by Stephen Graham on behalf of the Liberal Party, 12 Dayworth Mews, Lundy Lane, Reading, RG30 2RR

The Liberal Party believes that young people develop as citizens through their experiences at home, school, in their leisure time and at work. Vital to this development is an understanding of our society and the history of the British Islands and their relationship to the wider world.
 
The ability of future generations to have confidence in our democratic systems is paramount to the stability of our nation and the world. An understanding of The Commonwealth and organisations working for peace and reconciliation internationally needs to be embedded encouraged and fostered in our cultural services and educational system. Liberal values and respect for diversity and inclusion are at the heart of this.
 
Promoted by Stephen Graham on behalf of the Liberal Party, 12 Dayworth Mews, Lundy Lane, Reading, RG30 2RR

The Liberal Party believes that the UK's armed forces have been cut to levels which are no longer consistent with national defence and our international obligations.
 
We therefore want to see the UK return to the equivalent of our pre-2010 defence spending to increase both the number of service personnel and the quality of their equipment.
 
Defence cuts have had a disastrous effect on the morale and effectiveness of all three services.
We believe that British forces deserve the best equipment available and we acknowledge recent years’ neglect can only be corrected with substantial financial funding.
 
This proposed increase in funding could be financed on a long-term basis by scaling back on the UKs nuclear capability, by cancelling the Trident replacement programme, which the National Audit Office now forecasts will cost over £50 billion.
 
Promoted by Stephen Graham on behalf of the Liberal Party, 12 Dayworth Mews, Lundy Lane, Reading, RG30 2RR

The Liberal Party recognises the high level of crime on our streets and the correlation of increased crime with reduced police numbers. We would increase police numbers back to pre-2010 levels adjusted for increases in population.
 
Our jails are overcrowded, and we have one of the worst re-offending rates for criminals in Europe.
 
We need a justice system which has those who commit crime working in the community to repay their debt as well as providing training to prevent reoffending rates. We would seek to commute nonviolent sentences of less than one year to community service, freeing up prison space and providing essential labour for community projects.
 
We need support for those with mental health problems that so often get caught up in crime because of their illness.
 
Promoted by Stephen Graham on behalf of the Liberal Party, 12 Dayworth Mews, Lundy Lane, Reading, RG30 2RR

The Liberal Party would encourage (through planning and tax incentives among other measures) local authorities to build and maintain more affordable homes for rent.
 
We would give local authorities more powers to deal with derelict properties and waste land sites. We would abolish Council Tax and Business Rates and introduce a system of Land Value Taxation.
 
Promoted by Stephen Graham on behalf of the Liberal Party, 12 Dayworth Mews, Lundy Lane, Reading, RG30 2RR

We would encourage small business start-ups by making money from a 'Universal Inheritance' available before the age of 25 for those who wanted to start their own business.
 
For the economy to grow we must encourage small businesses and social enterprises. However, the ever increasing ‘red tape’ on small business and community charities is strangling our ability to grow the economy. This burden needs to be removed for small businesses and social enterprises and made proportionate for medium size and larger organisations depending on their turnover value.
 
We would waive business rates/land value tax for the first year of any new small business.
 
Promoted by Stephen Graham on behalf of the Liberal Party, 12 Dayworth Mews, Lundy Lane, Reading, RG30 2RR

Liberals want to see a simplified tax system which allows the low paid and moderately paid to keep as much of their earned income as possible.
 
We believe that government should tackle the gross inequalities of earnings and wealth. Income Tax and National Insurance thresholds should be raised to remove the low paid from the tax and benefits trap and improve disposable incomes of the working poor and low paid pensioners.
 
We propose radical reform of the inheritance tax system. We would reduce the rate of inheritance tax to 10% but would abolish the large number of allowances and exemptions which allow the very wealthy to pay little or no inheritance tax. This would be used to provide a tax free lump sum to every UK citizen at the age of 25, which can be used to pay university tuition fees or provide money for a business start-up.
 
Promoted by Stephen Graham on behalf of the Liberal Party, 12 Dayworth Mews, Lundy Lane, Reading, RG30 2RR

The Liberal Party notes the general election manifesto commitment by Boris Johnson to increase the number of trained nurses in the UK by 50k, along with one for 24k by the Labour Party.

A closer scrutiny of the proposal is for 14k new nurses, and 5k nursing apprentices, whilst efforts will be made to retain or encourage the return to the profession 18,500 nursing staff who often after leaving the profession to start a family or for other reasons are not been able to commit to returning.

The party notes with disappointment that the plan also relies on a recruitment drive for 12,500 nurses from abroad again highlighting the lack of domestic training which deprives other countries of their own skilled staff. Any recruitment from overseas should therefore be regarded as a temporary measure, and plans should be put in place to recruit and retain a growing workforce from within the UK.

We welcome the restoration of the student nurse bursary, and believe a full bursary is warranted. Student nurses should also continue to be supernumerary to staffing numbers while on clinical placement.

While those wishing to qualify as a Registered Nurse must obtain a degree there is also a pressing need to recruit more Health Care Assistants and other associated nursing staff. Increasing staffing levels in nursing would enable better patient care, and safe working practices. Efforts should also be made to care for the well-being of existing staff to promote retention of numbers.

Nurses remain the first line of contact in our NHS and maintaining numbers in the face of ever-increasing demands is of vital importance to the delivery of care in this country.

Promoted by Stephen Graham on behalf of the Liberal Party, 12 Dayworth Mews, Lundy Lane, Reading, RG30 2RR