News - Mid Suffolk Liberal Democrats

LIVE 8 CONCERTS A TRIUMPH AS WORLD LOOKS TO G8 FOR RESULTS

Ahead of the Gleneagles summit, which begins on Wednesday, campaigners have told world leaders that they must act to end the 'unjust absurdity of extreme poverty' in Africa. Led by Sir Bob Geldof, a plethora of pop stars, church leaders and politicians have called for action on trade, aid and debt. Their hopes to influence the leaders of the G8 are grounded on the extraordinary groundswell of popular unity generated by the weekend's Live8 concerts. 200,000 people watched the concert in Hyde Park this weekend. They were joined by hundreds of thousands of people attending other Live8 concerts in cities across the globe. Approximately 200,000 strong marched through Edinburgh in a mass rally calling for debt relief and increased aid.

5 Jul 2005

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PUT THE BRAKES ON WASTE BRITAIN - Davey

New figures uncovered by Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, show that, if laid end-to-end, the amount of cars left abandoned in Britain would be enough to stretch from London to Berlin. It follows from the government's decision in June 2003 that the last owner of the vehicle would continue to have responsibility for its disposal, rather than the manufacturer, as is standard practice throughout the EU.

5 Jul 2005

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BLAIR REBUKES CLARKE OVER 'RESPECT AGENDA'

Tony Blair has criticised the home secretary over a lack of action on the "respect agenda", according to a leaked report in the Sunday papers. It says the prime minister told Charles Clarke at a meeting that more must be done to address low-level disorder, to check the growing fatalism growing in Britain about the Government's promises to check local disorder.

5 Jul 2005

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LIB DEMS SET OUT PRIORITIES FOR G8 SUMMIT

The Liberal Democrats have launched their "G8 Communiqué: Priorities for Action", warning the leaders of the world's eight richest nations against limiting the Gleneagles Summit to "excuses for inaction and carefully honed presentations of warm words and sympathy". Also yesterday, Gordon Brown has told Live8 campaigners that it may not be possible to secure all the demands made by the Make Poverty History campaign. The comments reflect concerns that the government has set its G8 presidency ambitions too high, at the risk of letting down lobby groups.

6 Jul 2005

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Lib Dems achieve free eye and dental checks in Scotland

The Scottish Parliament has backed the introduction of free eye and dental checks for everyone in Scotland. The Liberal Democrat Partnership Agreement commitment to introduce free eye and dental checks is at the heart of the Smoking, Health and Social Care Bill which has now passed its final parliamentary hurdle. The Bill will also see the introduction of a ban on smoking in public places. The Scottish Liberal Democrats were the first political party in Scotland to back the ban.

25 Jul 2005

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MARK HUNTER PAYS TRIBUTE TO PATSY CALTON IN MAIDEN SPEECH

Mark Hunter MP, winner of last week's Cheadle by-election, has lost no time in making his maiden speech, getting off the mark less than 48 hours after taking his seat on Tuesday. Mark's speech, during Thursday's debate on the Olympics Bill, included a powerful tribute to his predecessor, Patsy Calton, as well as highlighting some of the problems faced by his constituents, such as unfair funding for local services and the need for more police officers. Both Houses of Parliament have now risen for summer recess, returning on October 10th.

25 Jul 2005

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