A Better Alternative on Small Boats

We all want to see an end to dangerous crossings on small boats across the Channel, but this legislation will do nothing of the sort. 

Instead, Conservative plans would see those fleeing war and persecution detained and deported.  

It would cost the taxpayer huge sums of money and, far from cracking down on illegal trafficking gangs, punish those seeking safety in the UK. 

It runs roughshod over international law, which confirms that asylum seekers should not be punished for how they arrive in a country.

Liberal Democrats know that the best way to stop these dangerous crossings is to provide safe and legal routes to sanctuary for those that need it. 

Our new policy, passed by members today at Conference, shows how we can do just that. It calls on the Government to: 

  • Immediately scrap the Illegal Migration Bill.
  • Fix the broken asylum system by taking powers from the Home Office and establishing a new, dedicated unit to make decisions quicker and more fairly. 
  • Provide safe and legal routes to sanctuary for refugees from all countries, including:
    • An expanded, properly funded resettlement scheme. 
    • A new scheme for unaccompanied child refugees. 
    • Reuniting unaccompanied children in Europe with family in the UK. 
    • Humanitarian visas to allow asylum seekers to travel the UK to proceed with their claims. 

Read the motion here

The UK has a proud and long-standing tradition of opening its arms and providing sanctuary to those in need of protection. The Conservative government is trying to trash that legacy. Now, more than ever, we cannot turn our backs on those who need us.

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Watch: Mike Ross’ Speech to Spring Conference

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January 2023 Tabloid Printing

The Campaigns & Elections Team are here to help you with all year round template campaign materials – for you to adapt and deliver in your local area.

Our January 2023 template is a tabloid style newspaper.

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Conservatives’ Cost of Chaos Budget

After crashing the economy and sending mortgage bills spiralling, the government is now inflicting eye-watering tax hikes and real-terms cuts to our public services.

This is the cost of chaos budget. Everyone is being forced to pay the price for this Conservative government’s incompetence. The country shouldn’t be forced to clean up their mess. 

Underneath the surface of this terrible cost of chaos Budget are yet more hidden horrors. Everything from police to social housing to our crumbling schools is being left in the dust by this Conservative Government.

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Abolish Ofwat and stop the sewage dumping

The sheer quantity of raw sewage being dumped into Britain’s rivers and coastal areas is a scandal and a disgrace.

Everyone should be able to enjoy the wonderful natural beauties our country has to offer, with open green spaces and blue rivers. But the Conservatives are neglecting our natural environment and letting water companies get away with pouring millions of tonnes of sewage into our rivers.

In the last two years, across England and Wales, there have been almost a million sewage discharges, lasting more than 7 million hours in total. Meanwhile, the top water company executives took home £51 million in remuneration, including more than £30 million in bonuses.

It’s time for the Government to stop ignoring the sewage scandal

Conservative MPs have utterly failed to stand up for their constituents and put a stop to this.

They have ignored the Liberal Democrat calls for a sewage tax and a ban on bonuses for the bosses responsible. They even voted against tougher action on sewage dumping, and the Government plans to let it continue until 2050.

And Ofwat – the water regulator – has become the powerless accomplice in the Conservatives’ environmental crimes.

It has given six of the eleven water companies a passing grade on pollution, even as they continue pouring sewage into our rivers. Ofwat labels three companies “top performers”, even though they are responsible for more than 2.6 million hours of sewage dumps in the last two years.

That has to change. So the Liberal Democrats are calling for Ofwat to be abolished and replaced with a tough new independent regulator with real powers to protect our beaches and rivers from sewage dumps.

Our new regulator would force water companies to clean up the mess they’re making by investing their profits in fixing our sewage system and reducing leaks. It would have the power to hand out unlimited fines and, if necessary, to prosecute companies who fail to meet these legal duties.

It’s time for the Government to stop ignoring the sewage scandal and start taking real action to clean up our rivers.

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