- The Liberal Democrats are the main challengers to the Conservatives in Tiverton and Honiton
- NI Protocol Changes: Risks starting a trade war with our largest trading partner
- Welsh Liberal Democrats call for 24/7 mental health service
The Liberal Democrats are the main challengers to the Conservatives in Tiverton and Honiton
Responding to the announcement that the Tiverton & Honiton by-election will take place on Thursday 23rd June, Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey MP said:
People in rural communities like Devon have had enough of being neglected by this Conservative government.
The Conservatives’ failure to tackle the cost of living crisis has left millions struggling to pay their bills, while people wait hours for an ambulance and weeks for a GP or dentist appointment.
The Liberal Democrats are the main challengers to the Conservatives in Tiverton and Honiton. On the 23rd June voters can send Boris Johnson’s government a message they cannot ignore – and elect a strong local champion who will stand up for them.
NI Protocol Changes: Risks starting a trade war with our largest trading partner
Responding to Liz Truss’s statement on changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran MP said:
Any responsible Government would today be announcing an emergency VAT cut to combat soaring bills and food costs. Instead Boris Johnson’s Conservatives are putting forward plans that will make it even harder for the millions of families who are struggling to make ends meet.
If the Conservatives go ahead with these plans, they risk starting a trade war with our largest trading partner which will turn a cost of living crisis into a catastrophe.
At a time when we should be working with our allies in the face of Russian aggression, these measures, which breach international law, will ignite a diplomatic firestorm. This public posturing undermines our standing on the world stage and only makes matters worse. The implementation of the Protocol will only be solved by the UK and EU calmly working together pragmatically to find solutions, such as negotiating a veterinary agreement.
Welsh Liberal Democrats call for 24/7 mental health service
The Welsh Liberal Democrats have reiterated their calls for a 24/7 mental health service to be put in place throughout Wales. The Party first called for a complete overhaul of mental health services in Wales during the last Senedd elections, calling for mental health to be given equal status to physical health.
The Party’s call comes ahead of a debate in the Senedd tomorrow (WEDNESDAY 18) and the monthly release of sCAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) statistics.
While mental health services are stretched across the board, there is particular concern over the state of children’s services, with an analysis of sCAMHS figures showing that 69.8% of first-time referrals are not being seen within the Welsh Government’s target time. In Cardiff and the Vale the figure is much worst with 90.3% of referrals not being seen within the target time.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling for the Labour Government to introduce plans to introduce a 24/7 mental health crisis care system; increase the share of funding that goes towards mental health to 13% of the Welsh NHS budget by 2028 and appoint a dedicated Minister of Mental Health until backlogs are cleared.
Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said:
We are seeing mental health services overstretched and letting people fall through the cracks across the board. But the risk of a significant generational chasm is especially worrying.
The Welsh Government must ensure that mental health is treated equally to physical health. If a child had a broken leg we would not wait over four weeks to treat it, why should it be acceptable for a child experiencing a mental health crisis to wait so long?
The Welsh Liberal Democrats have championed the cause of Wales’ mental health, having pushed for greater mental health funding during budget discussions with the Welsh Government, including an immediate cash boost to mental health services.
These statistics make it clear however that Labour is not meeting expectations and the Liberal Democrats will continue to call for the creation of a 24/7 mental health service in Wales alongside increases in funding towards mental health services in Wales.
The work voluntary organisations who work with young people suffering from poor mental health do is invaluable and if we are to tackle this epidemic, the Welsh Government must look at sustainable funding capacity for those organisations.