Liberal Democrat Shadow Housing Minister, Sarah Teather has visited Labour party conference to tell Labour supporters that the Liberal Democrats are now the true party of fairness and social justice.

Sarah along with the Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable were invited to speak at an event in Brighton organised by the Fabian Society. Sarah told the audience of Labour delegates that the party had failed in their duty to take care of the poorest and most vulnerable in society.

For the first time in over thirty years, yesterday an opinion poll placed Labour third behind the Liberal Democrats in a national poll. Meanwhile, in Brent this Summer, the Liberal Democrats were the only party to increase their share of the vote at the European elections.

The Liberal Democrat MP for Brent East Sarah Teather said: “Time and time again, the Labour party have let down the people of Brent. Over the past few years we have seen local services such as post offices or health centres axed, police stations under threat, and local people losing their jobs or even their home.

“Tony Blair and Gordon Brown promised so much but, twelve years on, the Labour legacy lies in tatters and the people who voted Labour in 1997 have been betrayed. On fair taxes, housing, civil liberties or education, it is always the poorest, the vulnerable and the marginalised who have suffered most under Labour.

“Many traditional Labour supporters can see that it is now the Liberal Democrats who represent their hopes for the future and are taking a stand on the issues that matter most to them. Everyone knows that the Conservatives can’t win in Brent. Former Labour members will find a natural home in the Liberal Democrats.”

“Andy Burnham would be better off making sure that all hospitals actually comply with the current rules,” said the Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary.

Commenting on Andy Burnham’s announcement of free car parking for in-patients at NHS hospitals, Norman Lamb said:
 
“The amount of money the NHS is making from car-parking charges is staggering.  Many hospitals are essentially operating a tax on the sick.
 
“But it’s difficult to take Andy Burnham’s pledge seriously when he has completely failed to say where any of the money needed to pay for this would come from.
 
“This announcement hasn’t been thought through.  The sad reality is that many Trusts will simply increase car parking charges for outpatients and hard-working doctors and nurses to cover their shortfalls.
 
“Rather than making vague unfunded commitments, Andy Burnham would be better off making sure that all hospitals actually comply with the current rules by offering discounts to staff and free parking to patients with chronic illnesses.”

Wed, 30 Sep 2009

“David Cameron sold out to hardline Europhobic Tories in order to secure his leadership,” said the Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary.

Commenting on David Cameron’s hint that the Tories would not hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty were it to be ratified, Edward Davey said:

“David Cameron sold out to hardline Europhobic Tories in order to secure his leadership.

“He is now struggling to square this with his own guiding principle of political expediency.

“If this is the start of a gradual realisation by Cameron that his position on the Lisbon Treaty is not only hopelessly unrealistic, but also dangerous for Britain, then we can expect the knives to be out at Tory Conference next week.

“Europhobic Tories secured Cameron’s job for him – they will not be happy if he lets them down now.”

North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus, the Council and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are proud to announce the launch of a new Strategy for Later Life. This strategy sets out an exciting agenda for action over the next three years that will help transform services to people over 50 year of age. It was developed with older people and local organisations including the voluntary and community sectors.

The strategy challenges the myths and negative attitudes about older people. It recognises that they make a positive contribution to community life and should be valued, respected and free from discrimination. It seeks to ensure that older people are well informed and have choice and control over the services they need to maintain their health, well being and lifestyle. The priority actions are wide ranging covering advice/information, community involvement, health and social care, transport, leisure, work, finances and safer communities.

Councillor Malcolm Morland, Older People’s Champion, said “So often older people are talked about in negative ways – we hear for example about demographic time bombs and drains on the economy. Nothing could be further from the truth. They are vital to our families and communities and enrich society with their knowledge, skills and expertise. The new strategy harnesses this and will, through all the local agencies working well together, improve the quality of life and opportunities for all older people across North East Lincolnshire”.

The strategy will be launched at the Advice Day for Older People held annually for the National Older People’s Day at the Memorial Hall IN Cleethorpes on Wednesday September 30 from 10am to 3pm.

If you want to know more about the strategy then contact David Cook, Interim Deputy Director Business and Performance Management on (01472) 325460 or e mail dave.cook@nelincs.gov.uk

Over the last few days there been a number of remarkable opinion polls culminating in an extremely good poll for the Lib Dems

Things are beginning to go well for the party; they are beginning to come up with some policies that will move this country out of recession and beyond; they are now winning the ‘battle of the ideas’; Labour have failed, and the Tories have lost the plot.

Today, I received this email from the Leader of the liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg which I thought you might like to read – ‘Seize the Moment’.

Dear Les,

Today, a MORI poll puts us ahead of the Labour Government. Yesterday, a ComRes poll in the Independent put us neck and neck. Our internal polling in our key marginals backs this up.

The coming months are a golden opportunity for us against a Government that is on the rocks and a Conservative Party bereft of ideas and principles.

Please help us seize the moment by making a donation of £20, or whatever you can afford.

Our General Election campaign will be our best ever – we are ready whenever Gordon Brown calls it with a fantastic team of candidates and staff.

We will be seriously contesting more seats than ever before. The only thing that is holding our campaign back is a lack of resources.

I am determined that we succeed in places which have never had a Liberal Democrat MP before. The work we do in those seats this Autumn will make the difference to our chances.

Please make a donation of £20, or whatever you can afford, so that we can win more seats from Labour at the coming General Election.

You can make your donation securely, online, here

This week, Gordon Brown will be passing the government’s begging bowl round the trade unions at the Labour conference.

Next week, David Cameron will be glad-handing big businessmen and tax exiles with champagne and canapes at the Conservative conference.

We rely on you. So thank you more than ever for your support.

Best wishes

Nick Clegg MPLeader of the Liberal Democrats

I know before anyone says anything but there is only one opinion that really matters and that is the one when we all place our cross on the ballot paper.

However, sometimes politicians do happen to get excited when things are going there way; and when you are a member of the third party in British politics you’ve got to take every opportunity going. 

Over the last few days there have been some remarkable opinion polls; however, today the BBC published a remarkable poll conducted by Ipsos Mori which suggests the Conservatives are on 36% (down 7), Labour on 24% (down 2)and the Liberal Democrats on 25% (up – the first time since 1982 that this polling firm has recorded Labour in third place. 

Perhaps Nick Clegg is right and the Liberal Democrats are now the “progressive force” and about to replace Labour.  

Disused farm buildings across the country should be converted into affordable homes in a bid to revitalise rural communities, the Liberal Democrats have said.

Speaking at the annual conference last week, the Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary, Tim Farron said that government funding and council grants should be used to support schemes to convert disused and underused farm buildings into affordable homes for local people.Tim Farron said that such a policy could create more than 50,000 homes in rural communities, which would help reduce the increasing number of families on council housing waiting lists in these areas.

He added that too many local services in rural areas were closing down and that, despite the public spending squeeze, his party would “invest hundreds of millions of pounds” into opening rural post offices and supporting other services that would help “kick-start the rural economy”.

Tim Farron said that the party planned to devolve more powers to local authority level to “put rural communities back in charge of their own destinies”.

He criticised the Government for carrying out extensive public consultations, but failing to respond to feedback. “Never have we been more consulted on and never have we been less listened to,” he said.

Liberal Democrat Communities and Local Government Secretary, Julia Goldsworthy said the Government had failed to take on board recommendations from a 2008 government-commissioned report by Liberal Democrat MP, Matthew Taylor on affordable housing and the rural economy that highlighted the importance of community-led development.

“The real choice is now between the real change offered by the Liberal Democrats and the fake change offered by the Conservatives,” said Nick Clegg’s Chief of Staff.

Commenting on Gordon Brown’s speech at Labour’s autumn conference, Danny Alexander said:

“Gordon Brown’s speech showed just how tired and bereft of new thinking the Labour Party is.

“His new announcements were a hotchpotch of the ineffective and the ill-thought through, rehashed press releases, copied ideas and humiliating U-turns.

“The fact is Gordon Brown has presided over a huge and widening gap between the richest and the poorest, he has failed a generation of young people, overseen the collapse of the banking system and the disgrace of our political system.

“Britain needs a fresh start. The real choice is now between the real change offered by the Liberal Democrats and the fake change offered by the Conservatives.”

“Our athletes’ Olympic dreams have been jeopardised by ministers’ disappointing inability to attract private investment,” said the Liberal Democrat Shadow Sport Secretary.

Commenting on  today’s announcement of a sponsorship deal by Visa for Britain’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes, Don Foster said:

“Funding for Britain’s top athletes has been in doubt for over a year due to the Government’s mismanagement.   Our athletes’ Olympic dreams have been jeopardised by ministers’ disappointing inability to attract private investment.
 
“It is welcome that Visa has stepped in to plug the gap, but things could easily have been very different. Our goal of coming fourth in the medal table is still alive, but Labour’s mismanagement means we could have been left in the starting blocks.”

Burn calories, save money and help the planet by walking to your local library during North East Lincolnshire Council’s Walk to Libraries Week.

More than 88 per cent of residents in the borough live within one mile of a library and from Monday, September 28 to Sunday, October 4, the library service will be encouraging people to walk to their local library.

Councillor Steve Hocknell, portfolio holder for culture, leisure and healthier communities, said:

“Everybody who walks to their library during the week will be entered into a free prize draw to be in with the chance of winning prizes including walking books and free tickets to North East Lincolnshire literature and comedy festival events.

“We would like to get as many of our customers as possible walking to the library this week and welcome new members too. Walking to Library signs have been placed in Grimsby and Cleethorpes indicating the length of time it will take to walk to the nearest library.

“Anyone can enjoy the library for free and members can use the internet, choose from thousands of books, join a readers’ group and discover their family history.

Shirley Allen, aged 74, walks to Waltham Library about three times a week and feels so much healthier for it. She said:

“I was advised by my doctor to walk everyday and it has certainly helped with my back problems.“I am a long term member of the library and look forward to my regular visits. I help run the library’s reading group and always encourage other members to walk instead of ride to the library.

“It is also so much better for the environment and saves money on fuel.

”The initiative is a partnership project between the council’s library service and the transportation service. Councillor Burgess, portfolio for environment and the green agenda is urging people to stop and think before they get into their car. He said:

“This project is about encouraging people to think about how they travel to public services.

“You don’t have to rely on the fact that you have to drive everywhere. People always overestimate walking distances. In North East Lincolnshire over 64,000 households live within one mile of a library.

”For further information about Walk to Libraries Week, including events and activities available in all libraries throughout the week, ring (01472) 323600 or visit www.nelincs.gov.uk/leisure/libraries