The Liberal Party notes the latest Environment Agency report on water resources, long-term consumption and water quality in England.
 
The reports catalogue’s the realities of excessive water extraction, unlimited usage and loss in transit and highlights the long-term environmental and human cost of living beyond our means.
 
We all have a part in securing the supply in this country, be it consumers consciously reducing domestic use or privately-owned water companies working to reduce leakage from their network which alone accounts for an astonishing 3 billion litres a day!
 
The Liberal Party believes that both a national education campaign is needed to make the public fully aware of the situation, and a comprehensive and swift scheme to refurbish the nations water pipe network.
 
Although no obvious decline in overall rainfall has been noted, seasonal changes dictate that water consumption urgently needs to be managed for the benefit of both human and environmental needs.

I have now accepted the role of Data Controller for the party as required by the General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR") which comes into effect tomorrow.
 
If anybody wishes to exercise their rights under the legislation please feel free to contact myself in the first instance at the following e-mail address:
 

 
Many thanks
 
Stephen
NEC Member
Liberal Party

The Liberal Party notes with grave concern the recent media reports on the exceptionally poor performance of facial recognition systems trialled by the Metropolitan and South West Wales Police forces.
 
A report in the Independent (13th May) suggested an accuracy rate of less than 10%, although it has been claimed no detentions or arrests have been made using the technology. It was also reported that facial images are retained by police for 30 days after being captured.
 
The Party believe that that the use of such technology is unproven and potentially unlawful, being used in conjunction with a database of in-excess of 16 million recorded facial images. Most of these images have been accumulated by the police without the consent of the individual.
 
The Liberal Party calls for the immediate cessation of the trials, the closure and erasure of the facial image database and clear guidance from regulators and central government on the recording, storage and use of personal images.

The Liberal Party views with horror the catastrophic escalation in violence along the boader between the Gaza strip and Israel on the day of the officialopening of the US embassy in Jerusalem.
 
Media reports speak of dozen’s killed and hundred’s wounded as Israeli forces respond to mass demonstration and attempted breaches of the contested boarder.
 
Coming on the 70th anniversary of the creation of the Israeli state and the simultaneous expulsion of Palestinian’s from the disrupted territories, the US decisionto move its embassy to Jerusalem is both a highly provocative and callous act.
 
The Liberal Party yet again calls for a negotiated settlement to the issues of the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem and calls upon all nations and international bodiesto act to resolve the open ended suffering of the Palestinians in their struggle for statehood.

The General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR") comes into force on the 25th May this year.
 
The Liberal Party has responsibilities under these regulations as we have gathered personal details from members, supports and members of the public in the form of names, addresses, contact details and e-mail addresses.
 
As such we have specific responsibility to ensure the information is kept securely, is not used for a purpose you have not given consent for, and is available for you to review and if requested to do so deleted responsibly.
 
We take our responsibilities seriously and are working towards full compliance with the regulations.
 
If you have any questions or wish to exercises your rights please contact myself or another member of the Liberal Party NEC who will be happy to address your request.
 
Stephen Graham
NEC Member

The Liberal Party will be holding its Summer 2018 Special Assembly on the 2nd June at the Bridge Hote function Room, Castle Square, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 1RQ. The meeting will run from 11:30am to 6:00pm and is open to all.
Propsective motions for debate are welcome.

The Liberal Party notes last weekend’s tragic knife related murder in Finsbury Park of a 20-year-old teenager, the 58th such murder this year in the nation’s capital.
 
Each loss of life is a tragedy, for the victim, the bereaved family, the wider community, and for those caught up in an embedded culture of city gangs.
 
The Liberal Party calls for a concerted initiative to curb the spiralling list of victims. This needs to start with Increased community policing and intelligence gathering, coupled with local initiatives to draw young people away from street crime.
 
Such community lead initiatives should extend from schools to community centres and town centres, aimed at engaging with young people and drawing them away from gang related crime which blights communities and young lives.

The Liberal Party condemns in the strongest terms the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian Government upon its own people.  These weapons are horrific and have been internationally banned for almost 100 years. The world cannot allow their use to be tolerated or to be seen as in any way acceptable.
 
With a degree of regret, the Liberal Party recognises the necessity of the limited military strikes made by the U.S. the UK and France on 14th April 2018.
 
In the first instance we would reiterate that it is preferable that any such action is taken with the mandate of (or at least approval of) a UN Security Council resolution.  It is regrettable in the extreme that the efforts through the UN have been vetoed by Russia on a number of occasions, leaving the Security Council effectively deadlocked.
 
The Liberal Party accepts to a degree that the strikes were legal, as we are mindful of the fact that the use of chemical weapons would constitute a war crime and perhaps more pressingly nations have the right to use force to ‘alleviate humanitarian suffering’. In this case discouraging the Syrian Government from a further use of such weapons or rendering them incapable of such a further attack is likely to alleviate suffering to a degree.
 
We also accept that there are occasions when, for strategical or tactical purposes, it would be imprudent to seek a vote in Parliament before undertaking such action, however, we believe that the UK Government MUST allow MPs to debate this issue at the earliest opportunity, and further there MUST now be parliamentary approval before any further military action takes place.
 
We do not want to see any further military action taking place in Syria and to this end we urge all parties to redouble efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the ongoing Syrian crisis. In particular, we urge the Russian Government to assist in reaching a peaceful solution and implore all parties to seek such a solution with goodwill on all sides.

I can confirm that Laurence Williams will be contesting the Sidcup Ward in the borough of Bexley, London and Angie Farrell will be contesting the Shaw Ward for the Oldham Borough Councilon the 3rd May.
 
This brings our tally to 27 candidates.
 
Please assist’s candidates as much as you can.

The Liberal Party is proud to announce the distribution of candidates in May’s local elections, when it will be fielding 25 candidates.

The party will be fielding a total of 19 candidates in Liverpool, as well as the Timperley and Hale Central Ward’s of Trafford, Dogsthorpe in Peterborough, Tyseley & Hay Mills in Birmingham, Norcot in Reading, and the Valley Ward of the London Borough of Waltham Forest.

The Liberal Party retains a national presence and will be holding its 2nd June NEC meeting and Special Assembly in Newcastle upon Tyne to further encourage regional growth.

We would wish to thank the party’s offices for their support during the nomination process and wish all of our candidates the best of luck in their endeavours at the polls on the 3rd May.