The exit of so many moderate
Tory MPs at the end of this
parliament is clear proof of
the rightward lurch of the
Conservative Party.
Some moderates like Ken
Clarke are retiring, others
including Amber Rudd have
been thrown out, joining
Anna Soubry and others who
have already left the Party.
Most are household names
like Justine Greening, Philip
Hammond and Oliver
Letwin. Local MPs Nicky
Morgan and Sir Patrick
McCloughlin are quitting as
well.
Holding Ministerial
positions, they have all given
years of service to this
country representing "One
Nation" Conservatism.
Despite often challenging
political differences, they
could still hold the respect of
MPs from all political
parties. Moderate MPs are
no longer welcome in today's
Conservative Party, leaving
Boris Johnson and his
bullying Brexit Boys to
pursue his hard right Brexit
deal while promising to
"Unite the Nation".
Newark Liberal Democrats
have expressed their
extreme disappointment
after research by the
Guardian newspaper
showed that Newark MP
Robert Jenrick has one of
the worst voting records on
climate issues of any MP,
desppite lobbying from
concerned constituents. In
the research the Guardian
ranked each MP by the
percentage of positive votes
that they have cast to tackle
climate change and Mr
Jenrick scored zero percent.
Lib Dem parliamentary
spokesperson David Watts
said: "There have been 8
major votes on issues to do
with climate change since
Robert was first elected as
an MP. In every single one
he has voted in the way that
is most harmful to the
environment. Representing
a largely rural constituency
he should recognise the
importance of tackling
climate change, and yet his
voting record shows that he
either doesn't understand or
doesn't care. Liberal
Democrats demand better
from their local MP.
Tackling climate change is
our number one priority.
We are in a climate
emergency and cannot
afford not to act, but Robert
has failed to protect the
future for his constituents.
To be the joint worst rated
MP in terms of climate votes
Climate change can no
longer be ignored or
considered as a fringe issue.
It impacts on every single
person and every community.
A recent report indicates that a
quarter of Britain's wildlife
could be at risk of extinction
from climate change. We simply
cannot permit that to happen.
The Liberal Democrats have
always been Britain's greenest
major party and the coalition
was the greenest government
ever, thanks to our input and
our success. We have now
proposed a raft of new
environmental protections. The
most significant of these is to
impose an environmental duty
of care on UK firms. The aim of
this would be to prevent UK
firms selling goods from
deforested areas and also to
require them to inspect their
supply chains.
Parliamentary candidate David
Watts said: "We can't go on with
a situation where firms are able
to turn a blind eye to what is
being done in their name and on
their behalf elsewhere in the
world. Climate change doesn't
recognise national boundaries
and we need to ensure that
British companies ensure their
supply chains meet our
standards.
Other plans by the Liberal
Democrats include making it
much easier for people to switch
to green energy, and to require
that all new homes are built in
the most sustainable way
possible. The coalition was
moving towards this but the
Conservative government that
followed scrapped all of this. We
also want to ensure that the
infrastructure is put in place to
make it easy for people to switch
to electric vehicles when they
next come to change their
existing cars.
Just because Boris Johnson has agreed a deal
with the EU does not mean that it is a good
deal. The Johnson Brexit deal is in reality no
deal in disguise, just postponed until the end of
2020. It includes none of the things that the
Leave side promised to voters in the run up to
the 2016 referendum.
Parliamentary candidate David Watts said: "Boris
Johnson has no mandate for the deal that he tried to
ram through parliament. It does not respect the will
of those who voted to leave any more than it does
those who voted to remain. If Johnson thinks that
the public support this deal then why won't he hold
a Peoples Vote on it?"
David added: "The Governments own figures say
that the East Midlands will be hard hit by leaving
the EU, with our economy shrinking by 5.5%. I
don't want people here to be poorer so I want to
remain.
No MP should ever knowingly vote to make their constituents worse off."
BREXIT NUMBERS:
£70 BILLION a year worse off
out of the EU on Boris' Deal:
National Institute of Economic and Social Research
It's clear that a No-deal Brexit is
just not worth the risk as the
effects are already being felt.
Urgent problems, such as the NHS
crisis and climate emergency, are
being neglected because of the sheer
scale of the challenge posed by Brexit.
It is the wrong choice for the country.
The Lib Dems will fight to stop Brexit.
Boris Johnson wants a No-deal Brexit
while Jeremy Corbyn sits on the
fence with his Labour Brexit.
A No-deal Brexit could see:
• The costs of the weekly shop rise
because almost 30% of our food comes
from the EU.
• The millions of people from the UK
who travel abroad each year to
Europe will have to take extra
measures and check they have the
right paperwork.
• The cover provided by the European
Health Insurance Card would end.
• Using a UK bank card in Europe to
pay for goods and services may also
become more expensive.
• There are also fears there will not be
enough medicines in the event of
delays to imports and farmers are
already struggling to find
agricultural workers to pick crops.
David Watts, Lib Dem parliamentary
candidate for Newark, said: "The Lib
Dems are crystal clear: if we win the
next election, we will stop Brexit by
revoking Article 50.
"People deserve better than Boris
Johnson's No Deal Brexit and Jeremy
Corbyn's Labour Brexit.
"Voters can instead choose the Lib
Dems, and our clear and unequivocal
policy to Stop Brexit."
Last night, we held our Liberal Democrat manifesto launch event in Camden, North London, where Jo Swinson laid out our ambitious government plans for both people and the planet.
In her speech, Jo emphasised that the Liberal Democrats are the only party that can take votes away from the Conservatives, the only party that will stop Brexit and the only party that can build a brighter future for our country.
Today, we can finally share our full Plan for the Future with you!
This manifesto is a bold plan to build a brighter future for our country.
That starts with stopping Brexit.
The Liberal Democrats will build a brighter future for people and our planet.
Labour and the Conservatives can't offer the country a brighter future because they both want Brexit. We know that will be bad for our economy, bad for our NHS and bad for our environment.
There are over 640 long term empty homes in Newark. This figure has been fairly consistent since 2004 at least. It is vital that we take urgent action to bring these back into use. Adding these houses to the housing stock would go a long way towards ending homelessness in the area. We can never settle for a situation where we have even one person forced to sleep rough, and bringing empty homes back into use is a key part of solving this problem.
The Trussell Trust have emailed David Watts today to say that they have distributed 1,018 three day food parcels between April and September this year in Newark, a 21% increase on last year. This is shocking. What sort of society are we creating where people can't afford to even feed themselves. For too long we have bought the lie that people on benefits are somehow scroungers when the reality is laid very clear by these figures. Poverty in the UK is real and desperate, and it is a disgrace.
For too many people, things aren't working as they should be. The Conservatives and Labour are stuck in the past, failing time and again to deliver a better future.
Brexit chaos has distracted from the real issues facing our country. While the Tories and Labour are squabbling over the latest Brexit deal, the country is in crisis.
"Inexplicable and shameful." - Hillary Clinton on the UK government's refusal to publish a report into Russian interference in British politics.
Yeesh. It's almost like she has experience with childish leaders lying to get their own way.
Hillary Clinton knows first-hand what it feels like to go up against Russian interference into elections. While investigations are still ongoing, many close to Trump are already in jail - for collusion with Russian politicians during the 2016 Election.
20th November is Trans Day of Remembrance. Every year, we take a moment to remember those in the trans community who have been lost too soon. Too many are killed or are made to feel like they have no choice but to end their lives for simply being who they are.
We proudly champion the T, alongside the LGB, for a society where no-one is made to feel unsafe or worthless because of who they are or who they love.
Our schools should be world class, helping every child make the most of the challenges ahead. But instead, they are trailing behind.
The Conservatives have cut school funding to the bone and children have paid the price, especially those with the most complex needs.
Highly valued, well trained teachers are the most important resource we have in our education system. Liberal Democrats will recruit 20,000 more teachers and give them the pay and support they deserve.
Liberal Democrats
