Tag Archives: child abuse

19 March 2025 – yesterday’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 20th March 2025 - 7:30 am

US-Russia call: Putin is “stringing Trump along”
NICs vote: Labour MPs vote for “health tax” on GPs, pharmacies and care homes
Conservative local election launch: “buck stops” with Badenoch
“Time for a fair deal for farmers” – Carmichael to introduce Food Supply Chain Fairness Bill
Scottish Government admits it failed to conduct safeguarding review
Minister visited Skye House just months before cruelty allegations surfaced
Severn Estuary Commission Report – Get on with Building the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon
Rennie responds to damning evidence session on funding crisis at Dundee University

US-Russia call: Putin is “stringing Trump along”

Responding to Putin’s phone call with Trump, Calum Miller MP, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, said:

Donald Trump’s fawning call with Putin couldn’t be more different to his and JD Vance’s shameful bullying of Zelensky in the Oval Office.

It’s clear Trump is being played by Putin – stringing him along and currying favour even as his savage war machine continues to push deeper into Ukraine.

Now is the time for the UK and our allies in Europe and the Commonwealth to redouble our efforts to support Ukraine’s defence and achieve a lasting peace.

NICs vote: Labour MPs vote for “health tax” on GPs, pharmacies and care homes

Responding to the Government voting to reject a Liberal Democrat amendment which would have exempted health and care providers from the national insurance rise, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said:

Labour MPs today have voted for a health tax on GPs, dentists, pharmacies, hospices and care homes, and it is patients who will pay the price.

The Liberal Democrats are proud we have led the fight to exempt health and care providers from this misguided tax hike, and we will not give up now.

On April 6th worried social care providers and GP surgeries are going to be hit with bills they simply cannot afford. Rachel Reeves must finally see sense, U-turn on this disastrous policy and exempt health and care providers from this damaging jobs tax.

Conservative local election launch: “buck stops” with Badenoch

Commenting on the Conservatives’ local election launch tomorrow (20th March) a Liberal Democrat spokesperson said:

The buck stops with bungling Badenoch. If she fails to deliver in the local elections, the writing will truly be on the wall for her and for the Conservative Party.

Whilst they compete with Reform and tilt ever further to the right, the Liberal Democrats are focused on delivering for residents on issues including the cost of living, sewage in our rivers and the emergency in our NHS and care.

We’re hearing on the doorsteps that people haven’t forgiven the Conservatives for all the damage they’ve done. If Kemi speaks to voters tomorrow, she will doubtless hear the same. Voters have a clear choice in May, and across the country, including in Buckinghamshire, they are turning to the Liberal Democrats as community champions who will stand up for them.

Posted in News, Press releases, Scotland and Wales | Also tagged 2025 local elections, Alex Cole-Hamilton, Alistair Carmichael, calum miller, conservatives, daisy cooper, dundee, farming, jane dodds, national insurance contributions, safeguarding, swansea tidal lagoon, ukraine, universities and willie rennie | 1 Comment

8 January 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 8th January 2025 - 11:45 pm

Children’s Wellbeing Bill: Conservatives using victims as “political football”
Davey: Adult Social Care Commission must be completed within one year
MP Calls for Greater Support for Off-Grid Homes

Children’s Wellbeing Bill: Conservatives using victims as “political football”

Commenting on the Conservative amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Munira Wilson MP said:

The Conservatives are using the victims of this scandal as a political football.

The Conservatives alongside Reform, goaded along by Elon Musk will be voting for a motion which will not secure a national inquiry for victims of child sexual abuse, but instead it would kill these crucial child protection measures completely.

The Liberal Democrats will be putting forward our own amendment to take real action to tackle the child sex abuse scandal, by implementing the recommendations from the national independent inquiry in full.

Davey: Adult Social Care Commission must be completed within one year

Responding to the Health and Social Care Committee’s evidence session on Adult Social Care Reform with Sir Andrew Dilnot CBE, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

Andrew Dilnot is absolutely right that this review could be completed within one year.

The social care crisis is forcing patients to be treated in hospital corridors while elderly people sell their homes to pay for care. After years of being let down so badly by the Conservatives, they cannot afford to wait while the government drags its heels for another three years.

MP Calls for Greater Support for Off-Grid Homes

Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe David Chadwick has called for greater Government support to help those in off-grid homes deal with high energy prices.

During a debate on the decarbonisation of homes in Westminster today, David Chadwick highlighted that Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe has an extremely high number of homes not connected to the national gas grid, with most being reliant on heating oil to keep their homes warm.

Posted in News, Press releases and Wales | Also tagged andrew dilnot, david chadwick, ed davey, energy costs, munira wilson and social care | 7 Comments

26 July 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 26th July 2024 - 11:00 pm

CQC: entire NHS and care system needs fixing
Cole-Hamilton: Fornethy women must be given the redress they deserve
Scottish Liberal Democrats respond to fresh NHS buildings delay
Stone ‘thrilled’ with Flow Country’s World Heritage Status

CQC: entire NHS and care system needs fixing

Responding to the Health Secretary saying that the Care Quality Commission “is not fit for purpose”, Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care spokesperson, Daisy Cooper MP said:

In recent weeks countless people have told us harrowing stories about not being able to get the care they or their loved ones need leaving them feeling anxious and abandoned.

The Conservative party kicked the can down the road on overhauling social care and sent NHS waiting lists spiralling. It is patients who have borne the brunt of this shocking neglect.

For too long, too many patients have had no levers to pull to stop things going wrong and when they do, complaints and regulatory systems are too complex and slow.

The findings of this report are staggering and the CQC and our entire NHS and care system needs fixing, with patient rights at its heart.

Cole-Hamilton: Fornethy women must be given the redress they deserve

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today reiterated his call for the survivors of alleged abuse at Fornethy House to be allowed access to the Scottish Government’s compensation scheme for those abused while in residential care.

Posted in News, Press releases and Scotland | Also tagged Alex Cole-Hamilton, Angus MacDonald, daisy cooper, flow country, jamie stone, NHS, nhs buildings, social care and world heritage status | Leave a comment

22 March 2024 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 22nd March 2024 - 11:15 pm

Ed Davey statement regarding The Princess of Wales
“The system failed Kaylea, we cannot allow it to happen again”- Mid and West Wales MS Jane Dodds
Tory support in freefall – Rob offers London liberal choice
Scottish Liberal Democrats respond to publication of Fair Fares Review

Ed Davey statement regarding The Princess of Wales

Responding to the Princess of Wales’ video statement, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey MP said:

What sad news. My thoughts and prayers are with the Princess of Wales tonight.

Liberal Democrats join the whole country in wishing her a speedy recovery and hope the Royal Family will be given space and privacy at this difficult time.

“The system failed Kaylea, we cannot allow it to happen again”- Mid and West Wales MS Jane Dodds

This week in the Senedd, the Mid and West Wales MS Jane Dodds urged the Welsh Government to learn from the tragic case of Kaylea Titford and improve the child safeguarding system here in Wales.

The disabled 16-year-old passed away in 2020 after being found in conditions that were described as “unsuitable for an animal”.

Kalyea’s parents were both charged with manslaughter by gross negligence and are currently serving a combined total of 18 years behind bars.

Posted in London, News, Press releases, Scotland and Wales | Also tagged beatrice wishart, ed davey, jane dodds, rob blackie, royal family and transport policy | 1 Comment

Hobhouse on sibling sexual abuse

By NewsHound | Wed 23rd March 2022 - 5:03 pm

Speaking yesterday in Westminster Hall, Wera Hobhouse tackled the “hugely difficult and harrowing” subject of sibling sexual abuse which, she said, can have “devastating, lifelong consequences”. The child who has harmed often has to deal with the dichotomy of their actions as a child and who they are now as an adult. Parents are often faced with the “double dilemma” of trying to support both of the children involved, dealing with school, social services, children’s services and police investigations, as well as unaffected siblings, friends and extended family. Criminal justice is not the answer to tackling sibling sexual abuse; we need health and education to work together and take a trauma-informed approach.

Posted in News | Also tagged featured and wera hobhouse mp | 4 Comments

It shouldn’t be a man’s world, but it is….

By Kirsten Johnson | Thu 25th January 2018 - 8:15 am

The horrific tales of abuse that 156 women were brave enough to speak of in court led to Larry Nassar being convicted of multiple counts of sexual abuse, with a sentence of up to 175 years in jail.

Reports say

The women — almost all of whom initially met Nassar for a sports-related injury — said that, because of the abuse, they struggled with anxiety, depression and instances of self-harm. Others said they no longer trust doctors or that they shrink from any physical touch.

This respected physician, the team doctor for USA Gymnastics through four Olympic Games, took advantage of young girls in his care.

Nassar’s sentence came on the same day that the story broke of the abuse of women hostesses at a charity gala in London.

Posted in News | Also tagged gender equality and sexual harassment | 11 Comments

Sal Brinton writes… Ukip’s hypocrisy on tackling serious child abuse issue is breath-taking

By Sal Brinton | Tue 28th October 2014 - 8:00 pm

Today in the House of Lords, Baroness Joan Walmsley and the Lib Dems secured an agreement from the Government on the Serious Crime Bill, for a major consultation on introducing rules on mandatory reporting of child abuse.

At our recent Federal Conference in Glasgow, Liberal Democrats passed new Party policy in support of requiring those who work with children and vulnerable adults to be required by law to report to the authorities if they have any suspicion that abuse is taking place. However, despite debates on this and other amendments concerning child abuse being debates, Ukip members of the House of Lords failed again to participate in this work.

Ukip’s hypocrisy is breath-taking. They issue a photograph of a girl with the headline ‘There are 1400 reasons why you should not trust Labour again’ in Rotherham, but their record on tackling serious child abuse issue is disgraceful.

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged david gale, gordon gillick, lord pearson, nigel farage, ukip and winston mckenzie | 17 Comments

Baroness Joan Walmsley writes…The NSPCC does not go far enough

By Joan Walmsley | Wed 9th July 2014 - 1:15 pm

This morning the BBC had an exclusive story from the NSPCC. They have at long last shifted their position on making it a crime to cover up child abuse and have come out with a very half-hearted and confusing policy. I call it “safeguarding light.” Instead of making it the duty of everybody with the care of children in a regulated institution (like a school) to report to the Local Authority any child abuse or serious suspicion of child abuse, as I am advocating, they are saying that …