Author: Morgan Leggett

Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael today paid a fond tribute to Baroness Shirley Williams, who passed away on Monday. The Orkney and Shetland MP took the opportunity during Business Questions this morning to eulogise a woman the Liberal Democrat Party Leader Ed Davey had called a “Liberal lion and true trailblazer”. Addressing the House of Commons, Alistair Carmichael said: "Thank you Mr Deputy Speaker. Can I say to the Leader of the House I hope members from all parties may be allowed to pay some tribute to my late colleague and friend Baroness Williams of Crosby.  "She was somebody who blazed a trail for women in politics for over five decades of public life in this country. She was blessed with a magic combination of both a fine political mind…

The House of Lords has today passed a Lib Dem amendment that would allow individuals trapped in unaffordable mortgages, known as ‘mortgage prisoners’, to access mortgages with much fairer rates. Mortgage prisoners had their mortgages nationalised after the financial crash and then sold on by the Treasury to vulture funds or inactive lenders, and therefore have been stuck paying what MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis has called “obscene interestrates”. The amendment, tabled by Lib Dem Peer John Sharkey, would require the introduction of a cap on the rates charged to mortgage prisoners and, under specified circumstances, ensure their access to fixed rate interest deals. Lib Dem Lords Treasury spokesperson Susan Kramer said: “So many stories from mortgage prisoners have been shared with me over the past few weeks, many of them quite frankly heartbreaking.“The overwhelming…

The Liberal Democrat candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner for Derby and Derbyshire, Stan Heptinstall, is delighted to hear that a “green light” has now been given to building a Police Response Hub somewhere in the High Peak area. Stan says: “This is exactly what is needed – a substantive police presence in North West Derbyshire. It is to be hoped that the plans can be approved, the funding put in place,  and that real progress will be made as soon as is possible”. However, Stan has been contacted by people in New Mills about lack of progress in creating a full police presence in their town following closure of their police station back in 2017. Apparently, the current provision is less than adequate. Stan has promised to make restoring…

The Liberal Democrat candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner for Derby and Derbyshire, Stan Heptinstall, responded to a request for his views on fox hunting. He said that he was totally opposed to this cruel “sport”. Since then, it has been reported that the Conservative PCC candidate has refused to offer her opinion on this matter and there are worrying reports on social media of the hunting fraternity referring to the Conservative candidate as “our candidate”.  Stan says: “I cannot believe that a candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner could support barbaric and cruel acts that are illegal” and has called on the Conservative candidate to state her position.