LOCAL NEWS & CAMPAIGNS
-
M&J Group's new training cente
May 21, 2022
-
Wyboston Lakes Resort completes £1.5m hotel refurbishment
May 20, 2022
News from the Liberal Democrats across England
-
Article: May 21, 2022Earlier this week, Mayor Dave Hodgson offically opened M&J Group's new training cente at Elm Farm Industrial Estate in Bedford.
Mayor Dave said "It's a real pleasure and honour to be asked from time to time to open events and venues. I would like to thank Jack Henrickson the CEO of M&J Group for the invitation not to only attend today but to officially open M&J Group's Training Centre. M&J have provided employment and training opportunities to the local community for a significant number of years. With the incredible level of continuous funding M&J have promised, which equates to £250, 000 per annum, they have now developed an approved CITB training organisation."
-
Article: May 20, 2022Mayor Dave Hodgson recently visited The Waterfront Hotel, Spa & Golf at Wyboston Lakes Resort which has undergone a £1.5m makeover adding a modern and stylish design, plus many new feature areas.
The transformational project included a major renovation of the four-star hotel's reception, Y Spa Bistro, and outdoor terrace, as well as the re-branding and refurbishment of the brasserie and bar. Three new event spaces were also added, which can be booked either separately or together, for corporate events, private functions, events, and social gatherings.
-
Article: May 20, 2022By Liberal DemocratsRichard Foord will be our Liberal Democrat candidate for the upcoming Tiverton & Honiton by-election.
I was proud to serve my country in the Armed Forces for ten years and now want to serve my community in Westminster.
Richard FoordRichard lives in Uffculme with his wife and family. He grew up in the West Country and served for ten years in the army after graduating from Sandhurst, reaching the rank of Major and receiving three campaign medals for service in Iraq and the Balkans.
-
Article: May 19, 2022
On the floor of the House of Commons this afternoon, local MP Tim Farron secured a meeting with a Minister from the Treasury over plans to double the capacity on the Lakes Line from Oxenholme to Windermere.
The proposals would see a passing loop built near Burneside station so that two trains could serve the line every hour.
-
Article: May 19, 2022Bedford Borough Council's Town Centre Jubilee Trail has launched today (Thursday 19 May), kicking off local celebrations for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
Twelve crowns have been hidden in various windows around the town centre, and the Council is inviting children and their families to explore the town while following the map to find the crowns.
-
Article: May 19, 2022By Green Liberal DemocratsA byelection has been called.
Only weeks away, on Thursday 23rd June.
A rural seat, with a huge Conservative majority, held by the party under various conceptions since the 1800s, bar a brief Liberal interlude for Tiverton in 1923.
An MP resigned in disgrace.
Liberal Democrats already the bookies' favourite.
Sounding familiar?
The stage is set for another brilliant Liberal Democrat victory in Tiverton & Honiton.
But to win we need your help.
The new office in Honiton is nearly election-ready, and there are big action days this weekend. Events are available for registration and all information can be found here:The tide is with us, but we won't even come close to winning without you.
We've shown what we can do twice now in the last 12 months; in Chesham & Amersham, and then again in North Shropshire.
If we can bring that level of passion and enthusiasm once again to Tiverton & Honiton, we can prove that those amazing victories were not flukes, and that the Liberal Democrats are back, and a force to be reckoned with.
There's no secret recipe to Liberal Democrat election success, just the energy of activists and commitment to a weekend, an evening, and whatever support or time they can offer.
We've made history twice in a row.
Let's do it again.P.S: We want to get off to a flying start this weekend in Tiverton and Honiton. In North Shropshire, we learned just how vital it is to frame the conversation early.
This is what the London School of Economics said about our campaigning following Helen Morgan MP's election:
Donate here -
Article: May 18, 2022
Crisis in cancer care: Third of patients facing two month waits for treatment -
Lib Dems call for urgent plan to improve cancer care after NHS targets missed in worst ever performance
-
Over 2,000 people are missing out on a timely diagnosis every day while 15,000 are left waiting two months or more to start treatment
-
Ministers accused of "sitting on their hands" while people are being left in pain
The Liberal Democrats have called on the Government to come forward with an urgent strategy to improve cancer care, after new statistics revealed that NHS England has yet again missed all four of its major targets for cancer waiting times.
Analysis by the party shows that from January to March 2022, nearly 150,000 people waited longer than two weeks to see a consultant after an urgent referral from their GP, or an average of 1,600 per day.
It means only 78% of people saw a consultant within two weeks of a GP referral, way below the NHS target of 93%.
The figures also show that almost 200,000 or 29.5% of people waited longer than 28 days to get a cancer diagnosis from their specialist after an urgent referral from a GP. This means the target of 75% of people getting their diagnosis within this time was missed and that the equivalent of over 2,000 people per day missed out on a timely diagnosis.
Over 6,000 (7.7%) patients waited a month or more to begin their first treatment after a decision to treat the cancer, almost double the 4% target.
Meanwhile, 15,000 or over one third of people waited two months or more to start cancer treatment after a referral from their GP. This means a target of 85% of people starting treatment within that period is being badly missed by 21 points.
It comes after no reference was made to improving cancer care in last week's Queen's Speech. Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron has tabled an amendment to the Queen's Speech, calling for a comprehensive strategy to be put forward on how the Government plans to meet a commitment for 80% of patients to be seen within two months by 2023. The party is also calling for the Government to hire more health staff, particularly specialist cancer nurses.
Commenting, Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron said:
"This Conservative Government has no real plan to fix the crisis in cancer waiting times. Ministers are sitting on their hands while people are being left in pain, or have to watch their loved ones suffering.
"The Conservatives have taken the NHS for granted for years and have their heads in the sand over huge staff shortages. The Queen's Speech didn't mention cancer care and Boris Johnson hasn't even brought forward any new legislation to tackle this mess.
"He needs to bring forward a plan now - people bravely battling cancer deserve far better than being abandoned by a Government that doesn't do enough to ease their burden."
-
-
Article: May 18, 2022
In Parliament last night, South Lakes MP Tim Farron voted to bring in a windfall tax on energy companies to help fund support for people struggling with rising bills.
Earlier this month it was revealed that BP's profits had more than doubled to £5bn in the first three months of this year. Meanwhile Shell had made over £7bn during the same time period.
-
Article: May 18, 2022
Bedford Central Library will host two Royal Talks in the coming weeks to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
The first will take place on Wednesday 25th May at 11:30am and look at Royal Visits to Bedford.
The second will take place on Thursday 9th June at 11:30am and look at Royal Occasions in Bedford
-
Article: May 17, 2022
Start Date: 8th June 2022
End Date: 26th July 2022
Purpose: Surface Dressing Site 45 Works to Include:-
- Prep Works - 08/06/2022-09/06/2022 (Nightworks 20:00-06:00)
- Dressing Works - 15/06/2022-17/06/2022
- Lining Works - 25/07/2022-26/07/2022
PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE WORKS ARE WEATHER DEPENDENT AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE