The Liberal Party notes the media speculation created by this weekend’s Cobra committee meeting to discuss the government’s response to a potential surge in Covid cases over Christmas and the New Year, driven by the Omicron variant.

Any such re-imposition of restriction on gatherings and social interaction should be evidence based and proportionate to the threat to the NHS and the need to prevent the service being overwhelmed by hospital admissions.

The party believes that the UK hospitality and entertainment industries need immediate assurances from government that they will be assisted to remain viable during any period of restriction at a key time of the year.

We fully support the Government and NHS’s voluntary vaccine campaign which we believe remain the most effective way to protect the nation during this latest surge in cases and urge all those eligible to take up the offer of vaccination.

Letter to the National Press - Time for UK should reflect and apologise to India and Bangladesh
 
Dear Editor

It is fifty years since the War of Liberation in Bangladesh.

It is a good time for the UK to reflect on the UK response to the brutal repression by the Pakistani Military to civil protests in what was East Pakistan.

Academic studies have suggested that the Prime Minister at the time, Edward Heath and his cabinet were Eurocentric and as the Commonwealth and other external priorities receded into the background, Europe dominated the government’s foreign policy, absorbing the greater part of its attention.

The historian Moses makes a key point: government officials insisted on portraying the conflict exclusively as a civil war, despite reports indicating that systematic persecution by Pakistani forces—or ‘genocide’—was taking place.

Without doubt the UK could have done more to challenge the brutality of the Military and the targeting of violence against the Hindu Minority in East Pakistan.

Following the surrender of Pakistani Forces the UK did recognise the new government of Bangladesh following India and Bhutan.

The recognition for a democratic national movement to overthrow a military state has been a dilemma for many nations in international affairs and we should learn from our reluctance and apologise for not being more supportive earlier.

We should also praise the intervention of Indian Forces was vital to enable the majority of the 10 million refugees to return home and prevent the brutal repression continuing.

Cllr Steve Radford

Leader of The Liberal Party UK

The Liberal party notes the conclusion on the 7th Dec of the video conference between US President Biden and Russian President Putin, and discussion’s on the ongoing military escalation in the eastern Ukraine.

The low intensity skirmishing, and aggression being orchestrated by Russia in its dispute over control of the Crimea and Donbas region threatens to destabilise both the Ukraine and the wider region.

Large scale Russian troop build-up’s, reported to be in the region of 90000 troops, represent an unwise act of intimidation and brinkmanship. Any uncontrolled escalation or conflict in the region could very quickly encourage other regimes from Belarus to Iran and even China to embark on similar paths of aggression with unpredictable results.

The Liberal Party calls upon all sides to de-escalate and participate in talks under the guidance of international mediation, be it the UN or another body, to resolve the 7 years dispute in eastern Ukraine recognising both Ukraine territorial sovereignty and Russian regional security concerns over NATO’s eastern expansion.

The Liberal Party notes with concern the move towards vaccination mandates and restriction on personal freedoms being adopted by some European nations as they attempt to mitigate increasing numbers of Covid cases.

Much of Europe’s slow vaccination uptake has been the result of the slow procurement process, mixed message over which vaccine are best suited to different age groups, concerns over potential side-effects and unsightly disputes over access to vaccine supplies.

We believe higher vaccination uptake can be encouraged by better public education and a clearer messaging around the benefits of vaccines, and we believe compulsion undermine trust in healthcare systems and Government whilst emboldening those with alternative domestic agendas.

Whilst the UKs response to the Covid pandemic has been criticised in many aspects, the NHS has responded to an unprecedented situation with a comprehensive vaccine campaign which despite resource shortages has left the nation in a better position over the coming winter.

Tax Threshold Increase up to £20000
 
As a party we are proposing that we increase the Income Tax threshold from the current £12,500 phased to £20,000.
 
There is a tripartite argument in favour of such a proposal:
 
It would incentivise work and encourage the work ethic’ back onto the agenda.
 
it would take people out of the lower end of the income spectrum out of paying tax completely. Free up 6 million people from income tax, by lifting the minimum threshold to £20,000, from £12,500 pa.
This is 1 in 5 taxpayers. Basic income tax rate stays at 20%. This would be paid for by a tapered progressive tax rate
 
Would, stimulate the economy: tax cuts should be focused on low- and middle-income households who tend to have a higher propensity to spend high degree of their income than high-income households.
 
Motion passed at the Liberal Party Special Assembly Saturday 20th November 2021.

Dear Editor

The recent by-election in Old Bexley and Sidcup showed a 10 % anti-government to Labour swing.

With the Government's contempt and arrogance seeking to change the anti- sleaze rules rather than face up to one of the members being found guilty, this swing should be welcomed by anyone wanting clean politics.

The most profound outcome of the by election is the meltdown of the Lib Dems vote to a mere 3%.
In 2010 the Lib Dems secured 15.2% of the vote.

This is not surprising given that the LIb Dems are fixed with their betrayal of their voters in the 2010 Tory Coalition and their obsession with supporting re-joining the EU, joining the euro and supporting even greater EU centralisation.

On the 18th November the continuing Liberal Party fought 3 diverse by-elections.

In the rural North Yorkshire marginal seat of Cropton we held the seat despite Labour and Green intervention.

On the same day in two north Liverpool working class Labour strongholds wards. The Liberal Party made progress against Labour whilst the Lib dems were wiped out.

In the Clubmoor ward Labour lost 8% , down to 54%.

The Liberal Party gained 3% to come clear second at 22% The Lib Dems came 6th with 2%.

In the Anfield Ward Labour won with 56% having lost 11%. 

The Liberal Party came a clear second with 26% up 11%, whilst the Lib Dems came in at 7% in a seat they represented in the not too distant past.

The Lib Dems abandoned their Liberal inheritance for naked opportunism and are damaged goods
It is time for all good Liberals to return home to The Liberal Party.

Cllr Steve Radford
Leader of The Liberal Party

Following the resounding progress by the Liberal Party in The Old Swan By election and May's Mayoral elections the team made significant progress in the Anfield and Clubmoor by- elections on 18th November
 
Anfield Ward By-Election
 
Labour Party                               604 56% Elected              down 11%
Jimmy Richardson Liberal Party    281 26 %                        up 15%
Liberal Democrat                           73 7%                           up 2%
Green Party                                  72  7%                          down 1 %
Conservative Party                        42 4%                            down 1%
Independent                                 9   did not stand previously but a different Independent  Did                                
 
Clubmoor By-Election

Labour Party                                             787 54.50% Elected     down 8%
Liam James Buckley Liberal Part                  324 22.%                    up 3%
Laura-Independe                                       167 12%    (did not stand previously)
Walsh Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition   54   4% 
Green Party                                                45   3.%                    down 5%
Liberal Democrat                                         34  2.%                     down 4%
Conservative Party                                       33  2.%                     down 3%
 
In both by election The Liberal Party came a clear second and increased our vote. It does show - despite a news blackout, The Liberal party is the clear challenger to Labour in the north working class communities whilst the Lib Dems push fell flat on its face.
 
Cllr Steve Radford
Leader of the Liberal Party

The Liberal Party welcomes the final agreement of the COP26 summit in Glasgow but notes that it has failed to deliver the immediate cuts to global emissions need to prevent global temperature change of more than 1.5C.
 
Whilst we support steps to reduce the use of coal as a fuel, the trajectory of climate change without further reductions in greenhouse gas emissions still leaves the world facing a bleak future along with many coastal and island states.
 
The Liberal Party fully recognises that governments in the developed world have pressing economic and social commitments during the current Covid pandemic, but they must double their efforts to promote green technology at home and assist developing countries to do likewise.
 
To this end the failure of the developed world to deliver on promises of financial aid to vulnerable countries is a gross economic injustice.
 
When the world convenes for COP27 in Egypt in one years’ time efforts to tackle climate change will necessitate further steep cuts in global emissions to stay on track for a sustainable and inhabitable planet.

The Liberal Party notes with great disappointment the conclusion of recent talk’s in London between the Governments of the UK and Iran without any meaningful agreements.

The most important outcome would have been a resolution to the case’s of Zaghari-Ratcliffe jailed in Iran and whose release is linked to the resolution of a debt repayment dispute with the Iranian state over a cancelled armaments deal dating back to 1971.

Whilst this remains the most visible obstacle, the Iranian nuclear program and international efforts to restart The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) cast’s a wider shadow over completion of a legal process which should have been resolved by arbitration in 2001.

As the hunger strike of Zaghari-Ratcliffe husband Richards is halted after 3 weeks, the Liberal Party calls on the Government of the UK to re-open dialogue with the Iranian Government as matter of urgency and to resolve a legal dispute which now serves no purpose other than to empower the Iranian regime.

Whilst the impact of the 2021 budget will be small on most people in employment, the impact on pensioners will be significant.

The loss of the triple lock will result in pensions not keeping pace with inflation. At the same time rising inflation will diminish the value of savings and although it will trigger increases in the interest rates to partially compensate, the 'lag time' losses will be negatively realised. The loss impact on pensioners is likely to be in the region of £400 per year.

Failure to increase personal tax allowances at a time of higher inflation will represent a real terms cut in income.

 The Liberal Party welcomes Universal Credit taper adjustments as an incentive to  work.

Whilst the increase in the minimum wage is welcomed, it will result in greater hardship to those who require child care services to enable them to attend work.

Given the proven and diverse supply shortage the country currently faces, further inflationary pressures will be realised.
The Liberal Party would re-establish Industrial Training Boards to assess the skills shortage across various economic sectors and take a pragmatic approach with regards to immigration to enable priority visas to be granted to individuals who have the skills required for work sectors which have been assessed as having a skills shortage and a longer term skills development plan in place.
 
Cllr Steve Radford, leader of the Liberal Party