Paul Holmes, Liberal Democrat MP for Chesterfield has today slammed the performance of the Security Industry Authority (SIA), which has failed to process applications for a licence from Chesterfield security staff for months more than their target. Mr Holmes said:
Liberal Democrats today (16 October) refused to endorse Conservative proposals to reduce mobile library services throughout Essex.
Despite its commitment to tackling climate change, Tony Blair's Cabinet notched up a staggering 6.5 million air miles last year, according to research released by the Liberal Democrats. The survey of ministerial travel for 2005-2006 reveals that their combined air travel was equivalent to flying to the moon and back fourteen times. Cabinet members and their entourages produced nearly 1000 tonnes of CO2 and there were 350 individual flights to Brussels or Paris that could have been made by Eurostar and would have saved more than 30 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide.
Fears that the elderly and disabled will lose out
Conservative and Labour MPs are being challenged to back Liberal Democrat plans for a 'green tax switch' in the House of Commons today. An "opposition day" motion tabled by the Lib Dems calls on the Government to raise taxes on aviation and new high-emission cars while cutting direct taxes on income to compensate. Labour MPs are expected to vote against the motion, but the Conservatives have not yet made their position clear. This comes ahead of next week's Green Tax Switch Campaign week by the Liberal Democrats.
The Liberal Democrats will today put themselves at the head of a nationwide campaign to save Britain's post office network following the Government's failure to take the tough decisions necessary to save our post office and Royal Mail services. After reports in today's Financial Times that the DTI is set to back another major post office closure programme, the Lib Dems have used their Commons opposition day to call for urgent action. Lib Dem Shadow Trade Secretary Edward Davey says: "It now seems that the Government's solution to 'stabilise' the Post Office will involve thousands more branch closures, bringing hardship and financial exclusion to millions."
