A new £59m fund is to be unveiled to boost areas of depressed economic growth in the English regions. The fund will invite the country’s 24 Enterprise Zones to bid for the money to turn “shovel ready” infrastructure projects into “job ready sites”. The money is intended to be spent on local infrastructure – including […]

Thanks are due again for an excellent article from Lynne Featherstone’s website here. Special thanks are also due for Lynne Featherstone herself for all of the time and effort that she has put into fighting to get this legislation before Parliament. Lynne fully deserved her accolade as Attitude’s Politician of the Year award for 2012. […]

Lynne Featherstone MP has today expressed great happiness as the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill is set to receive its second reading in Parliament. The Liberal Democrat MP has been at the forefront of the process to secure equal marriage since it was first confirmed as Liberal Democrat policy in 2010, having brought the policy to the […]

We vote tomorrow to give the Bill on same sex marriage a Second Reading. Like all 2nd readings it is a vote on the principle, not the detail, of the Bill. There are several further stages to scrutinise the detail and debate and vote on amendments in the House of Commons before the Bill passes […]

Liberal Democrats have secured improvements to the way disabled people will be assessed for the new Personal Independence Payment (PIP) announced today by the Coalition Government. The move follows concerns that some people, who can only walk short distances, would have failed to qualify for the higher rate PIP which is due to be introduced […]

Liberal Youth welcomes the news that UCAS is reporting an increase in university applications, and especially welcomes the continuing trend of young people from poorer background going to university more. With people from disadvantaged backgrounds being 80% more likely to attend a higher education institution this is a major step in creating a fairer and […]

Commenting on the publication of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill,  Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party Committee for Home Affairs, Justice and Equality, Julian Huppert said: “The Liberal Democrats are building a stronger economy in a fairer society, and crucial to that is equal rights for all. “Equal marriage will strengthen the important tradition of […]

Gordon Birtwistle MP introduced a Ten-Minute Rule Bill on the issue last year and is hoping to secure a backbench debate in Parliament shortly. Commenting on the report, Gordon Birtwistle said: “To build a stronger economy and a fairer society, we need to give young people the skills and advice to get on in life […]

Ahead of the backbench business debate this evening on corporate tax avoidance the Liberal Democrat MP who secured the debate, Ian Swales, has called for the Government to take a lead internationally and police its financial borders with the same rigour as its physical boundaries. He said: “There are millions of people and businesses who pay their […]

Ahead of tomorrow’s Autumn Statement, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party Committee on Business, Innovation and Skills, Gordon Birtwistle has repeated his calls to help British manufacturing by allowing 100% capital allowances on capital purchases. Commenting, Gordon Birtwistle said: “If we want to see the kind of economic growth Britain needs then they need […]