Commenting on the admission by Ed Miliband and Ed Balls that Labour would not reverse the Coalition Government's plans to reduce public spending, Lib Dem Group Leader, Cllr. David Foster said:
One of the key policies in the Lib Dem manifesto was the Pupil Premium, this was extra money for schools to help the education of disadvantaged schools. Despite the tough economic climate we have managed to keep this commitment. In total Blackburn with Darwen schools will get £4.8 million in Pupil Premium this year.
Lib Dems in government have delivered the biggest pensions rise in history.
Lib Dem Mayor for Blackburn with Darwen, Cllr Karimeh Foster had the honour of visiting the King and Queen of Jordan during a recent visit to the country. Karimeh, who was born near Bethlehem in what was then Jordan has been a Councillor in Blackburn with Darwen for 20 years and is currently their Mayor. Not only did she visit the King, presenting them with a painting of one of Darwen's most famous landmarks but also had a reception at the British Embassy, gave a talk at the University of Jordan and to the Jordanian Women's Federation, and was interviewed on local TV and by the national papers. Commenting on her visit Karimeh said, "It was an honour to be invited to the Palace and the King was keen to develop links between Jordan and out Borough." She was accompanied on her visit by her husband, local Group Leader Cllr. David Foster and their family.
Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council are calling for the Conservative administration to abandon their plans to replace professional staff in 10 of the County's libraries with volunteers, rather than continue with a costly legal fight against Surrey residents in the High Court.
South Lakes MP, Tim Farron, has used an adjournment debate in Westminster Hall to call on the Government to open a fresh inquiry into the sinking of the Naval Submarine, HMS Affray on 16 April 1951 just north of Alderney in the Channel Islands, which killed 75 men.