Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who supported us in the Tameside council elections on May 4th.

Nearby we gained two seats in Manchester and moved forward in Stockport to be the largest party with 30 of the 63 seats – ahead of Labour on 24 while the Conservatives lost every seat they had on the council.

Nationally 12 more councils now have a Lib Dem majority and we made a net gain of more than 400 councillors across England.

Here in Tameside:

  • John Bartley took 363 votes in Ashton St Michael’s ward.
  • Rowan Fitton received 358 votes in Droylsden East.
  • 378 people supported Peter Ball-Foster in Hyde Newton, beating the Greens into fourth place.

Now join us!

Sir Ed Davey’s speech to Parliament on the passing of Queen Elizabeth II

“We are mourning a profound loss.

The Queen was a formidable monarch, who faithfully served our country for all her life and was loved the world over.” – Ed Davey.

20’s Plenty

In neighbouring Stockport, the Liberal Democrats are calling for residential roads across the borough to be 20mph, in an effort to improve road safety and tackle issues of air quality.

Cllr Mark Roberts of Bredbury Green and Romiley said: “On the doorsteps we have found that slowing the speed that people drive on our residential roads is a big issue for residents. Many years ago the Lib Dems brought in a policy of 20mph outside schools when we ran the council, and now we want to see the widespread adoption of slower speeds on the roads we live on too.

“Given the on-street parking across the borough that compresses traffic, 30mph can just seem too fast and a slower speed limit could help save the lives of many loved pets and help protect children. Residents should be able to reclaim their street from the cars which race down them.

Add your voice to our campaign by signing the petition!

Cllr Lisa Smart appointed Lib Dem Brexit Spokesperson for the North West

The Liberal Democrats have announced their team of regional spokespeople for Brexit – and Stockport Councillor Lisa Smart, Liberal Democrat Candidate for Hazel Grove, has been appointed as the spokesperson for the North West.

lisa-smart

She will be tasked with fighting to reduce the damage of Brexit for people across the North West following Theresa May’s announcement yesterday that she intends to take Britain out of the Single Market and impose a Hard Brexit.

350,000 jobs in the North West, or around one in ten, are linked to trade with the Single Market. The North West exported £13.5 billion worth of goods to the Single Market in 2014, which was 52% of total goods exports for the region.

Nick Clegg, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, said:

“Brexit is going to be a major upheaval for people up and down the country. It is easily the biggest political decision in modern history and the repercussions of the decisions made in the next few years will be felt for a generation.

“The pound has already fallen in value, jobs are at risk of migrating overseas, and we must have no doubt that the years ahead will be tough for the North West.

“Lisa Smart is going to do an excellent job of holding the government to account as the Conservative’s drag us out of Europe and the Single Market. The Liberal Democrats will continue to fight for a fair deal for the people of the North West.”

Lisa Smart said:

“Theresa May’s decision to take us out of the Single Market will have a devastating effect on the economy of the North West and I will fight tooth and nail for local people to ensure that jobs and prosperity are protected.”

Time to scrap GMSF

  • Mayoral Candidate Jane Brophy has called on the Greater Manchester Spacial Framework to be scrapped, withdrawing support from the process.

jane-brophy-spring-2017

Jane Brophy, Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of Greater Manchester, is calling for the Greater Manchester Spacial Framework (GMSF) to be scrapped.

Jane, who is running on an unapologetically pro-EU ticket, said: “Everything in Greater Manchester is underpinned by our place in the European Union. My top priority is to halt this aggressive Brexit agenda which will have an enormous and detrimental impact on our housing, health services, transport, air pollution and climate change crises.”

The GMSF process will only go ahead if all ten councils in Greater Manchester and the newly elected mayor vote in favour of it. If any one of the eleven deciding vote against the plans, then it will fall – and the Liberal Democrat mayoral candidate is now pledging to do just that.

Jane Brophy continued: “The Government and Greater Manchester Combined Authority should have worked together with local councils, local people and local communities to ensure no more houses were built on our greenbelt until all other options were exhausted.

“There was no attempt to have any conversation with local people and their voices have been ignored. We now risk blindly destroying our green spaces and depriving our children of the areas to grow and play in.

“Before we open up the greenbelt for development we must bring empty homes back into use, develop every old mill building, empty warehouse, factory, brownfield space and derelict piece of land that we can.

“Only when all those options were exhausted should we have considered moving onto the greenbelt. But our voices have gone ignored for long enough and it’s now time to scrap this GMSF process.

“There was no discussion about where was going to be developed, and clearly no intention to begin any discussion.

“The GMSF has been top down, rather than from the bottom up. We need a plan that fully involves local people and their communities right from the start.

“This should have been about responsibly building affordable homes in areas that are near public transport and existing links, and it should be for local people in each area to decide the future of their community, not for a secret group at Manchester Town Hall to present a completed plan.

“Therefore, I am now withdrawing my support from the GMSF process and if elected I will vote to block the process, and work to ensure each and every local resident and local community is involved properly in the process to build the much-needed homes.”

Biggest Lib Dem Swing Since 1997

witneyThe Witney by-election yesterday, caused by the resignation of David Cameron as local MP, saw a swing from the Conservatives to the Lib Dems of 19.3%.

That’s the biggest by-election swing to the Lib Dems since 1997’s Winchester by-election.

In 2015 we came fourth with 7% of the vote in Witney.

At yesterday’s byelection we leapfrogged the Labour party and beat them to take second place with 30% – while their vote was significantly down on 2015.

UKIP and the Greens both lost their deposits with less than 5% of the vote.

“Turing Pardon” Set To Be Extended

Former Liberal Democrat MP for Manchester Withington, John Leech, who led the successful campaign to pardon Alan Turing, has today secured an agreement with the Government which will grant a posthumous pardon to tens of thousands of gay and bisexual people convicted under long abolished sexual offence laws.

The decision to accept the amendment has been warmly welcomed by the architect of Alan Turing’s pardon, Cllr. John Leech, who said: “For years I have campaigned and fought for this moment and I’m completely overwhelmed that this is finally coming to a positive end.

“This is a deeply profound and emotional day for my team and I.”

Those similarly convicted but still alive will also receive pardons if they have successfully applied for a disregard, or in future successfully apply for a disregard under the Protection of Freedoms Act.

The Government will add their name to the Liberal Democrat amendment to the Policing and Crime Bill that when passed will finally grant the long awaited pardon to over 75,000 people.

This has been a long fought campaign for John Leech who first raised the issue in the Houses of Parliament and began campaigning in 2011.

Mr Leech submitted several motions to Parliament and campaigned hard to secure the historic pardon, stating that it was “utterly disgusting and ultimately just embarrassing” that the conviction was upheld as long as it was.

In 2013, Alan Turing was given a posthumous royal pardon and an official apology by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, following the high profile campaign led by John Leech.

Following the success of his campaign, Mr Leech turned to securing the pardon for the 75,895 other gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people who were unfairly convicted for similar offences.

Alan Turing was a pioneering English computer scientist and mathematician whose groundbreaking work is thought to have brought WWII to an end four years early.

However, at a trial in 1952, Turing admitted to “acts of gross indecency” before being sentenced to chemical castration. His conviction meant he lost his security clearance and was forced to stop work at Bletchley Park.

Aged just 41, he was found dead from cyanide poisoning in 1954 with a half-eaten apple by his side. An inquiry concluded that it was suicide.

It is estimated that Turing’s work saved the lives of some 14 to 21 million people.

Mr Leech said Turing’s persecution “by the state for being gay was a scandal that shouldn’t have ever been allowed to stand”.

The first motion Mr Leech submitted called for a recognition of the “vital contribution made by Alan Turing to Britain’s war effort” and “regrets that following his years of national service he received a criminal conviction for having a sexual relationship with another man”.

John Leech concluded: “This is an enormous step forward for LGBTQ+ history and I believe Alan Turing would be truly proud to see tens of thousands of people rightfully vindicated in his name.”

Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron MP, added: “The Liberal Democrats continue to be the strongest voice on equality in and out of Parliament.

“This was a manifesto commitment which even in opposition, thanks to the tireless work of John Leech alongside our MPs and peers, we have been able to deliver on.”