Tories must not be allowed to run out the Brexit clock

Responding to Michael Gove’s comments that there might not be a Brexit deal until December, Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake said:

The Conservatives are making a mess out of Brexit.

Theresa May is trying to run out the clock and push Parliament into a bad deal, or no deal at all. The future of this country must not come down to diplomatic filibustering.

MPs must not allow this form of legislative blackmail. Instead they must give the people the final say on Brexit and an option to remain in the EU.

Lamb: PM should follow Trudeau and legalise cannabis

Responding to the news that Canada has legalised the recreational use of cannabis, former Health Minister Norman Lamb said:

Theresa May should follow Justin Trudeau’s lead in this liberal and sensible approach to legalising cannabis. As the former Home Secretary, she should know full well that the Government has lost control of drug-related crime in this country; and that the criminal market is causing violence in many communities.

An independent expert panel, which I set up in 2015, estimated that by legalising cannabis in the UK we could raise up to £1 billion annually in taxes, money that could be invested in policing, health and education.

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to legalise cannabis and take the market out of the hands of criminals, so that we can properly protect young people from the risks of buying cannabis on the streets.P

Davey: Govt must change approach to illegal hard drugs

Responding to the reported increase of hard drug related gang activity, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Ed Davey has said:

When children as young as 12 are being exploited by drug gangs, the Government’s approach clearly needs to change. We need to stop both the supply and demand of illegal hard drugs.

That’s why the Liberal Democrats are demanding greater investment in the Border Force, to stop drugs and weapons entering the country in the first place, and an extra £300 million a year for the police, to rebuild the community policing that helps to prevent gangs from operating.

But we must also treat the addiction that fuels demand for these drugs. Rather than simply being locked up, drug users should be diverted into evidence-based treatment programmes and given the support they need to get off drugs.GOV

Government must restore billions to universal credit. Lib Dem Press Release

Responding to reports that the Government is planning to further delay the rollout of Universal Credit, Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions spokesperson Stephen Lloyd MP said:

Universal Credit might be a good idea in principle, but the Conservatives’ botched implementation of it is causing unnecessary misery for millions.

The leaked plans to reform Universal Credit will never solve the problem. They are only tinkering at the edges. Nothing short of restoring the billions the Tories cut from UC’s Work Allowance will be acceptable.

Liberal Democrats demand better. That is why I have urged Ministers to restore UC’s Work Allowance to its original levels, so that work really does pay for those on low incomes. Without it the new benefit scheme will continue to lurch from crisis to crisis.