26Mar 2021 by David Hancock No Comments

Introducing Stan Heptinstall: Lib Dem PCC Candidate for Derbyshire

Uncategorized
The Liberal Democrat candidate for the role of Police and Crime Commissioner for Derbyshire is Stan Heptinstall. Stan served the whole of his working life as a senior academic in the Medical School at the University of Nottingham and is now an Emeritus Professor of the same university. Alongside his professional career he has always had a huge interest in his local community. He served for many years as a local councillor, attaining the position of Mayor. He was acclaimed for his representational role through the award of an MBE by the Queen and his appointment as an Honorary Alderman by those who appreciated his long service to local government. Stan describes himself as a “people person” and has always worked hard for others and especially those in any difficulty.…
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01Jan 2020 by David Hancock No Comments
End of year report from the Lib Dem Chair of Tupton Parish Council

End of year report from the Lib Dem Chair of Tupton Parish Council

Community
Firstly, a Happy New Year to everyone. As we move into 2020, I’m just over halfway through my year as Chair of Tupton Parish Council, so this is something of a half-term report for me. One of our key objectives has been to make the Parish Council more accessible and more open to public scrutiny. It has been a pleasure to welcome an increasing number of residents, community groups and other visitors to the Parish Council meetings; and the feedback we’ve received has been positive. Following a visit from North East Derbyshire’s Community Partnership Team and Rykneld Homes residents are more aware of the support that can be given to all residents – not just Rykneld tenants – regarding issues of anti-social behaviour affecting Tupton. We will be inviting both…
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14Dec 2019 by David Hancock No Comments
The Liberal Democrats are on the up!

The Liberal Democrats are on the up!

Democracy
Thank you for the help and support you have given North Derbyshire Liberal Democrats over the last few weeks. Many of you, me included, didn’t get into politics because we wanted an easy ride, we got involved because we wanted to make a difference and stand tall on our social and liberal values. Elections are never easy as one of the smaller parties in a first past the post electoral system, but as predicted, what we saw here was the collapse of the Labour Party that gifted the Tories this majority, and a significant increase to the Lib Dems votes across the UK to 3,696,423 (an increase of over 1.2 million). If this was under a proportional electoral system, this result would have delivered 74 MP's for the Liberal Democrats. More…
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10Dec 2019 by David Hancock No Comments
On 12th December vote for a brighter future

On 12th December vote for a brighter future

Budget, Business, Democracy, Economics, Education, Energy, Environment, Equality, Europe, Representation
The Economy Both Brexit and the Labour Party's excessive spending plans threaten our country's future economic stability. That isn't just our opinion, the IFS is saying it too. A vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote to protect British jobs and public services. The NHS Save the NHS by putting a penny in the pound on income tax to give the NHS and social care the cash they need. Make waiting times for mental health care match those for physical health care. Climate Change Ban fracking, and more than double green energy to 80% by 2030. Ensure that 26 million properties receive insulation retrofits by 2025, prioritising the fuel poor, saving the average household £550 per year on energy bills. Policing Increase community policing, investing an extra £300 million…
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07Dec 2019 by David Hancock No Comments
Ross Shipman’s Letter to Lee Rowley

Ross Shipman’s Letter to Lee Rowley

Europe
Dear Lee, I am writing to you today to ask if you will rule out a damaging no-deal Brexit in December 2020 which would be disastrous for our local community. The Brexit plan that your Party has proposed would require the completion of a Free Trade Agreement before the end of 2020 unless the UK asks for an extension. It is clear from your manifesto that the Tories will not seek an extension of the transition period in December 2020, despite overwhelming evidence from trade experts showing that it will be nearly impossible to secure a deal in that time-frame. By signing up to such an arbitrary, unrealistic deadline, you are personally setting up the UK to crash out of the EU without a deal at the end of next…
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12Nov 2019 by David Hancock No Comments
The Liberal Democrats have announced plans to create a £5bn flood prevention and adaptation fund.

The Liberal Democrats have announced plans to create a £5bn flood prevention and adaptation fund.

Environment
As the world grapples with a climate emergency, the Tories are turning their backs on communities most at risk by failing to provide adequate flood defences. The Tory’s Brexit agenda risks the UK losing access to vital EU funds for improving flood defences and flood relief. This would starve local communities of a key revenue stream to tackle flooding and build resilience for the future. By staying in the EU, the UK will retain access to vital EU funds to deal with flooding.  Over the lifetime of the next parliament, a Liberal Democrat government will create a £5bn flood prevention and adaptation fund. The fund will help the UK build resilience against future flooding, and ensure all communities can access the funds they need during periods of crisis.   A…
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11Nov 2019 by David Hancock No Comments
Conservative and Labour vote to allow fake news at NEDDC

Conservative and Labour vote to allow fake news at NEDDC

Representation
Responding to both the Conservative and Labour groups uniting to defeat a motion that would have taken steps towards addressing the worrying increase of Fake News being injected into Council meetings by some elected members. Cllr David Hancock, Deputy Leader of the N-E Derbyshire Liberal Democrats group said: "Increasingly, since the May elections we've instances of elected members misrepresenting other councillors in the Chamber. NEDDC's constitution doesn't allow for a councillor to correct an untrue statement made about them during the course of a meeting, once they've already spoken. "In recent months certain members have routinely made misleading and inaccurate statements about other councillors and political groups during the course of a meeting, with no constitutional right for those defamed to challenge or correct falsehoods." The Liberal Democrat motion put…
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03Nov 2019 by David Hancock No Comments
Brexit: The choice is no longer Hard or Soft – it’s Left or Right…

Brexit: The choice is no longer Hard or Soft – it’s Left or Right…

Europe
Tired of Brexit? Want to make it go away? The choice is simple... I think it's fair to say that most of the country has had enough of Brexit. The Conservatives, UKIP (they're still around!!!) and the Brexit Party want to pull us out of the European Union at the earliest possible opportunity. Of course, the reality is that we could leave tomorrow - but we'd still be negotiating trade agreements and unpicking legislation for years, if not decades, to come... Labour, it would appear, are back on the fence. They tell us that they want a People's Vote. They tell us that they would campaign to remain. But, yet again, they've done a complete about turn. Earlier today, Rebecca Long-Bailey, the Shadow Business Secretary, confirmed that Labour would be…
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03Nov 2019 by David Hancock No Comments
Introducing: David Hancock

Introducing: David Hancock

Representation
Your candidate for Bolsover A lifelong resident of New Tupton, David is from a strong working-class background. The son of a bricklayer and a cleaner; he learned the value of hard work from an early age. 51-year old David has been a supporter of the Liberal Democrats for most of his adult life; attracted by their core values of encouraging individuals to succeed by being themselves and valuing the rights and freedoms for people to be who they are – irrespective of gender, race, sexual orientation, religion or disability. He is a District Councillor for the Tupton ward and the Chair of Tupton Parish Council. David is a firm believer that local policies should be developed by local people. David believes that communities should work cohesively; that a successful society…
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