The Liberal Party welcomes the commencement of the COP27 conference in Egypt this week.
 
The target of containing a global temperature rise to within 1.5 degree is already in mortal danger and requires urgent action from world leaders of all political denominations.
 
Nations around the global share a common fate if they do not take action to contain global warming
as outlined in the opening address from the UN chief António Guterres.
 
We welcome the attendance of UK PM rishi Sunak at the summit  and believe the UK has a vital role in promoting the move to Net Zero and decarbonising the global economy.
 
The UK is not immune to the effects of a rapidly warming earth as this summer climate extremes of heatwave and torrential downpours have keenly shown and the political will and resources must be found to meet our national commitments.

The Liberal Party wishes to discourage indiscriminate laying and  retention of plastic or artificial lawns including other hard landscaping.

Whilst maintenance free they create wildlife deserts, do not soak up rainfall, or offer any take-up of CO2.

Further they have a direct impact on the urban heat island effect.

There is no transpiration from plastic grass, and it becomes considerably hotter than a grass lawn potentially increasing the demand for domestic air conditioning.

There are also unresolved issues on the environmental cost of manufacturing and recycling of these products and the risk of microplastic’s polluting the environment.

We would urge homeowners to seed or lay natural lawns or turf where practical and for Councils to refrain from their use withintheir areas of influence for any other purpose other than recreation facilities.

Following on from an APPG Youth Affairs meeting in December 2021, the Liberal Party Youth would suggest a 20p "deposit" on transactions involving plastic bottles that would be returned upon.

the return of these bottles. We envisage sites to return these bottles being widespread to allow for easy return.

We believe this policy would reduce the "eco-anxiety" of young people which have shown a consistent rising trend. It would also give younger people a clear example of the difference recycling makes.

This policy has been utilised in countries like Germany (The Pfand) and studies have shown that up to 99% of cans are recycled every year and only 1-3% of reusable bottles are not returned.

Liberal Party Leader’s Statement - Appeal to India to stand up against annexations in Ukraine

Dear Editor

Letter for Publication

Can we ask the government and people of India to consider their policy on abstaining on motions at the UN condemning the illegal annexations of territory of Ukraine.

I have no doubt the people of India would expect and deserve the support all your friends if China sought to further annex territories on your northern borders.

Please stand up for justice on this issue.

Cllr Steve Radford

Leader of The Liberal Party UK

The Liberal Party has watched with dismay at the financial market’s negative response to the recent mini-budget and the fall in the value of the pound.

Whilst we fully support the funding of an energy price cap, unfunded tax cuts which add to a national debt, already at £2.4 trillion, risk’s damaging the long-term prospects for the economy.

As an alternative approach The Liberal Party’s Statement of Policy Direction, proposed to lift the income tax threshold to £20k taking potentially five million out of the tax benefits trap, whilst reducing benefits proportionately, and reducing the administrative burden of both tax and benefits.
 
Our policy document seeks to put more money into the pockets of ordinary  people and reducing barriers to employment and would encourage to increase in the supply of labour by making work pay. This reducing one of the inflationary pressures on the UK economy.

The document is available on our party website in the Liberal Library section.

The Liberal Party notes with considerable disappointment that the Conservative Government is planning to allow the resumption of fracking in this country.

The movie will be accompanied by the resumption of the granting of oil exploration licenses in the North Sea.

Whilst the party understands the need to increase the supply of natural gas, we see no reason to extend this to oil or fracking which encourage our addiction to hydro-carbon fuels and obstruct’ s our journey to net zero.

The Liberal Party remains fundamentally opposed to the intrusive and environmentally damaging fracking process with its potential for contamination to underground water sources and structural damage to building through earth tremors.

In encouraging a resumption of fracking the government has gone back on pledges made to respect local opinion decision making and the concerns of local communities.

The Liberal Party notes with increased alarm the escalation in the conflict afflicting Ukrainian with plans by the Russian Federation for military mobilisation and thinly veiled threats of nuclear escalation.

The party believes that such moves along with hastily called referendums in the disputed areas of eastern Ukraine represents a serious escalation in what is arguably the most intense international crisis since the end of the Cold War.

The international community can have no faith in referendums underway in the 4 regions of south-east Ukraine when they are being conducted by an occupying force known to torture and murder political opponents.

In the face of the unpredictable actions of the Russian President Vladimir Putin the international community must act to engage with the Russian leadership both the dissuade it from further aggression and to guide it towards international mediation to end the conflict.

Both an independent Ukraine and the Russian Federation have legitimate claims to sovereign integrity, independence and regional security which can only be settle through peaceful dialogue.

The Liberal Party is please to make an interim statement on its candidates in the local elections for Liverpool City Council in May 2023.
 
These elections come after a boundary review which will see major changes to ward boundaries with 85 elected councillors representing three three-councillor wards, 15 two-councillor wards and 46 single-councillor wards across the city on a 4-year election cycle.
 
Cllr Steve Radford will contest Stoneycroft Ward
Cllr Billy Lake will contest Tuebrook Larkhill ward
Cllr Joe Dunne will contest Tuebrook Breckside Park
Mick Coyne will contest Old Swan East
Cllr Alan Tormey will contest Wavertree Garden Suburb
 
Further prospective candidates will be notified in the run-up to the opening of nominations.
 
We will not be taking anything for granted in the local elections in May 2023, and any support you can give, from putting up a poster in your window, registering for a postal vote or posting leaflets in your immediate roads would be greatly appreciated.
 
Offers of assistance will be gratefully received.

I am requesting that GL’s and Whips call for cross-party or multi-party support for this motion

This motion falls in line with a lot of headlines talking points we are dealing with not only locally but globally – Environment/Climate/Health/Finance. However, this motion has been pushed to the final item and won’t even be given the opportunity to debate or the support of full council.

Liverpool City Council entered a Climate Emergency in 2019 and this plant could be the answer to not only Liverpool’s problems but the UK’s and the Worlds, let’s be bold !!

More and more consumers are becoming conscious of their health and the environment. The hemp business is skyrocketing and that's why it's a great time for Liverpool City Council to get in on the hemp business. Will Liverpool City Council be the first Council in the UK to have Hemp on an Agenda? I believe they are and in line with Liverpool’s historical industrial pioneering we should push forward with haste.

The Cannabis industry could be pivotal for our Green Economy revolution and Liverpool needs to get the ball rolling !! Excuse the pun

The UK (Liverpool) has a unique opportunity to establish a leading position within one of the most important and rapidly growing agricultural and industrial markets that has emerged for decades. Hemp is used to make a variety of commercial and industrial products, including rope, textiles, clothing, shoes, food, paper, bioplastics, insulation, and biofuel
Hemp equals Sustainability !!

Kind Regards

Councillor Alan Tormey

Spokesperson for Climate Change and Environment on LCC

National Spokesperson on Climate Change and Environment for The Liberal Party

Childwall Ward - Liverpool City Council

The motions for the annual Liberal Party Assembly on the 15th October are now available to view from the front page of the party website.
 
Please contact a member of the NEC for details of the Assembly or amendments to the tabled motions.