Bailey's comments about Hindus and Muslims make him unfit to stand for London Mayor
Harrow Liberal Democrats today called for the Conservative Party to drop their mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey after it emerged that he had published a pamphlet accusing Muslim and Hindu culture of turning Britain into a "crime-riddled cess pool".
"I speak to the people who are from Brent and [school children have] been having Muslim and Hindi [sic] days off. What it does is rob Britain of its community. Without our community we slip into a crime-riddled cesspool,” Bailey wrote in 2005. "We’ve allowed people to come to Britain and bring their culture, their country and any problems they might have, with them"
Adam Bernard, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Harrow East, said "We should be proud that people of all religions, cultures, nationalities and backgrounds have chosen to live here. Blaming social problems on minority groups is a cheap and lazy tactic that Shaun Bailey should be ashamed of. London is one of the most diverse cities in the world and Harrow is the most religiously diverse borough in London, and we should celebrate that."
"Shaun Bailey says 'They are alienated because they haven’t been exposed to the good things in Britain – our ethics'. I don't know how he can have the outrageous gall to claim that Hindu and Muslim communities lack ethics. The suggestion is drivel, and offensive drivel, at that."
Vince Cable: Heathrow expansion is an expensive folly
Leader of the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable has today slammed the Tory Government’s decision to expand Heathrow as an “expensive folly”. He said:
“Expansion at Heathrow is an expensive folly that will badly hurt the environment both locally and globally.
“The Liberal Democrats will work with Heathrow’s many and diverse political opponents within Parliament to finally put an end to this project once and for all.”
Harrow Liberal Democrats have been clear in opposing expansion of Heathrow, which is likely to lead to an increase in noise — including at night — across Harrow.
“Expansion at Heathrow is an expensive folly that will badly hurt the environment both locally and globally.
“The Liberal Democrats will work with Heathrow’s many and diverse political opponents within Parliament to finally put an end to this project once and for all.”
Harrow Liberal Democrats have been clear in opposing expansion of Heathrow, which is likely to lead to an increase in noise — including at night — across Harrow.
Labour's letter on the EU is misleading at best, deceitful at worst
Harrow Labour has sent a letter to EU citizens in Harrow, in advance of the May 3rd local elections, with several extremely misleading claims.
Embarassed by their party leadership's embrace of Brexit, they have resorted to weasel words.
[caption id="attachment_316" align="alignnone" width="451"]
Positions of the nationwide parties on Brexit-related issues. The question-mark reflects Labour's insistence on "a" customs union but not "the" customs union.[/caption]
They say that the Labour Party is fighting against Conservative plans for a hard Brexit, and that Labour has been fighting for EU nationals' rights.
These claims are simply untrue. A hard Brexit is one in which we leave the Single Market. Labour is determined to take us out of the Single Market in order to be able to abolish freedom of movement for EU nationals.
And when the House of Lords had the chance to insist on safeguarding EU nationals' rights a condition of invoking Article 50, Labour whipped their peers to abstain, and their MPs — including Harrow's Gareth Thomas — voted it through with no safeguards whatsoever.
The Liberal Democrats are truly supporting the rights of EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens in the EU as well as supporting the right of the people to cancel the Brexit process entirely if the final deal is worse than what we have now.
Embarassed by their party leadership's embrace of Brexit, they have resorted to weasel words.
[caption id="attachment_316" align="alignnone" width="451"]
Positions of the nationwide parties on Brexit-related issues. The question-mark reflects Labour's insistence on "a" customs union but not "the" customs union.[/caption]They say that the Labour Party is fighting against Conservative plans for a hard Brexit, and that Labour has been fighting for EU nationals' rights.
These claims are simply untrue. A hard Brexit is one in which we leave the Single Market. Labour is determined to take us out of the Single Market in order to be able to abolish freedom of movement for EU nationals.
And when the House of Lords had the chance to insist on safeguarding EU nationals' rights a condition of invoking Article 50, Labour whipped their peers to abstain, and their MPs — including Harrow's Gareth Thomas — voted it through with no safeguards whatsoever.
The Liberal Democrats are truly supporting the rights of EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens in the EU as well as supporting the right of the people to cancel the Brexit process entirely if the final deal is worse than what we have now.
North-West London bearing brunt of May's NHS mis-management
Just 77.3% of patients were seen within 4 hours at regular A&E departments in December 2017, the lowest level since records began, NHS statistics today have revealed. London North West Healthcare Trust (which runs Northwick Park) is even worse with more than four out of ten patients waiting longer than four hours to be seen - and Hillingdon is worse still.
In December, London North West Healthcare Trust only saw 58.7% of patients within four hours. This makes it the fourth worst performing provider in the country. Hillingdon Hospitals Trust is the second worst in the country. Liberal Democrat former health minister Norman Lamb is clear that this is an unacceptable situation and that urgent measures need to be taken to address this.
The Liberal Democrats warned the government would be left "with blood on its hands" unless it acted to address record pressures facing the NHS.
Separate winter pressure figures showed 5,082 patients faced delays in ambulances of one hour or more in the week to 7th January, the worst figures of the winter so far. In total over 22,000 patients have faced delays of one hour or more in the back of ambulances so far this winter.
Liberal Democrat former Health Minister Norman Lamb commented:
"The NHS is facing record levels of pressure - meaning every day patients are dying and experiencing dreadful failures of care.
"Yet all the government does is offer inadequate sums of money which barely keep our health service going.
"Theresa May cannot ignore this crisis any longer. Ministers have a choice: agree to work with others to deliver a proper, sustainable settlement for the NHS or be left with blood on their hands.
"Liberal Democrats have a clear plan to give the NHS the emergency cash injection it needs, by putting a penny on income tax to raise £6bn a year.
"We stand ready to work with other parties to find a long-term solution to rescue the NHS."
In December, London North West Healthcare Trust only saw 58.7% of patients within four hours. This makes it the fourth worst performing provider in the country. Hillingdon Hospitals Trust is the second worst in the country. Liberal Democrat former health minister Norman Lamb is clear that this is an unacceptable situation and that urgent measures need to be taken to address this.
The Liberal Democrats warned the government would be left "with blood on its hands" unless it acted to address record pressures facing the NHS.
Separate winter pressure figures showed 5,082 patients faced delays in ambulances of one hour or more in the week to 7th January, the worst figures of the winter so far. In total over 22,000 patients have faced delays of one hour or more in the back of ambulances so far this winter.
Liberal Democrat former Health Minister Norman Lamb commented:
"The NHS is facing record levels of pressure - meaning every day patients are dying and experiencing dreadful failures of care.
"Yet all the government does is offer inadequate sums of money which barely keep our health service going.
"Theresa May cannot ignore this crisis any longer. Ministers have a choice: agree to work with others to deliver a proper, sustainable settlement for the NHS or be left with blood on their hands.
"Liberal Democrats have a clear plan to give the NHS the emergency cash injection it needs, by putting a penny on income tax to raise £6bn a year.
"We stand ready to work with other parties to find a long-term solution to rescue the NHS."
Brexit ████████ assessments █████████ published in full not ██████████
The Liberal Democrats have said the government's █████████ ██████████ should be █████████ in full and not subjected to a "█████████████████████████████"
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"The government has been ███████ people in the dark for too long about the ███████████████ plans.
"Parliament has now made its ██████████████ clear.
"Ministers need to publish these reports in full, not ███████ them to a Whitehall whitewash.
“This has nothing do with ██████████████████████████, and everything to do with █████████████ trying to spare its own blushes.”
Harrow Liberal Democrats spokesperson █████████ ██████ said:
"It is vital that the Government doesn't use █████████ as a ██████ to avoid telling us just how █████████ ███ ██████ we are"
It comes after Parliament ██████████████████████ for the █████████ assessments to be published, which the Speaker said should be binding ██████████████████.
███████ ███████████ Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake said:
"The government has been ███████ people in the dark for too long about the ███████████████ plans.
"Parliament has now made its ██████████████ clear.
"Ministers need to publish these reports in full, not ███████ them to a Whitehall whitewash.
“This has nothing do with ██████████████████████████, and everything to do with █████████████ trying to spare its own blushes.”
Harrow Liberal Democrats spokesperson █████████ ██████ said:
"It is vital that the Government doesn't use █████████ as a ██████ to avoid telling us just how █████████ ███ ██████ we are"
Advice to Bob Blackman: When you're in a hole, stop digging.
Bob Blackman, embattled Tory MP for Harrow East, has responded to criticism for hosting a genocide proponent in the Commons in his favoured manner: by retweeting praise.
Praise for Blackman being thin on the ground at the moment, the account which he chose to retweet is another account that seems to specialise in hurling abuse at Muslims.
Or as they prefer to style them: "Muzzies".
Also, charmingly, blaming Africans for the Grenfell Tower disaster earlier this year.
Bob: wouldn't it be easier to just apologise than continue to align yourself with more and more extreme elements?
Praise for Blackman being thin on the ground at the moment, the account which he chose to retweet is another account that seems to specialise in hurling abuse at Muslims.
Or as they prefer to style them: "Muzzies".
Also, charmingly, blaming Africans for the Grenfell Tower disaster earlier this year.
Bob: wouldn't it be easier to just apologise than continue to align yourself with more and more extreme elements?
Bob Blackman's refusal to apologise shames Harrow
Despite criticisms for hosting Tapan Ghosh — the founder of controversial anti-Islam group Hindu Samhati — Bob Blackman, Conservative MP for Harrow East has refused to apologise, demonstrating a complete disregard for the divisive effect of such rhetoric, and the harm that it causes to our community.
Bob Blackman's defence — that Tapan Ghosh was merely coming to speak about persecution of Hindus — is not acceptable when Mr Ghosh is advocating genocide as the answer to such persecution.
Mr Ghosh has also called to "[e]liminate Islam" within the UK:
Adam Bernard, Parliamentary Spokesman for Harrow East commented:
“Bob Blackman must urgently understand that it is not only immoral but dangerous to risk stirring up conflicts between communities — even if there are votes to be had by positioning himself as the champion of one faction.
“How can he adequately represent his 10,000+ Muslim constituents in Harrow East if he is unwilling to apologise for hosting a man effectively calling for their elimination?
“To say 'I do not share his views' is not sufficient in a case like this. Either Mr Blackman must indicate that he understands what he has done wrong, or he should resign.
Bob Blackman's defence — that Tapan Ghosh was merely coming to speak about persecution of Hindus — is not acceptable when Mr Ghosh is advocating genocide as the answer to such persecution.
Mr Ghosh has also called to "[e]liminate Islam" within the UK:
Adam Bernard, Parliamentary Spokesman for Harrow East commented:
“Bob Blackman must urgently understand that it is not only immoral but dangerous to risk stirring up conflicts between communities — even if there are votes to be had by positioning himself as the champion of one faction.
“How can he adequately represent his 10,000+ Muslim constituents in Harrow East if he is unwilling to apologise for hosting a man effectively calling for their elimination?
“To say 'I do not share his views' is not sufficient in a case like this. Either Mr Blackman must indicate that he understands what he has done wrong, or he should resign.
Lib Dems call for Harrow to be heard in new Heathrow consultation
Chris Grayling today announced that a public consultation into the planned third runway at Heathrow Airport has been reopened to include new evidence.
Harrow Liberal Democrats called again for Harrow residents to be actively consulted.
Last time round, Harrow was not included in consultations, despite it being closer than other areas that were consulted, such as Theresa May's constituency of Maidenhead, and despite the likelihood that the new flight paths would mean an increase in noise for people living here.
Liberal Democrat Leader Vince Cable commented:
“I urge all those concerns about the environmental and social impact of Heathrow expansion to made their voice heard through this consultation.
“The fact this consultation has had to be reopened shows the government’s case remains deeply flawed. It is difficult to see how a third runway can be delivered without breaching legal air pollution limits. We will continue to work with other parties in Parliament to stop Heathrow expansion in its tracks.”
Harrow Liberal Democrats called again for Harrow residents to be actively consulted.
Last time round, Harrow was not included in consultations, despite it being closer than other areas that were consulted, such as Theresa May's constituency of Maidenhead, and despite the likelihood that the new flight paths would mean an increase in noise for people living here.
Liberal Democrat Leader Vince Cable commented:
“I urge all those concerns about the environmental and social impact of Heathrow expansion to made their voice heard through this consultation.
“The fact this consultation has had to be reopened shows the government’s case remains deeply flawed. It is difficult to see how a third runway can be delivered without breaching legal air pollution limits. We will continue to work with other parties in Parliament to stop Heathrow expansion in its tracks.”
Bob Blackman inviting extremists to Parliament is unacceptable and dangerous.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="220"]
Bob Blackman, MP for Harrow East Photo: Wikimedia Commons[/caption]
Harrow Liberal Democrats have responded with anger to the news that Bob Blackman has hosted an anti-Muslim extremist in Parliament.
The Tory MP for Harrow East hosted Tapan Ghosh, who has called for the UN to control the birth rate of Muslims, praised the genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Burma, and said that Muslims should be forced to leave their religion if they come to a western country. Mr Ghosh also used his visit to share a platform with far-right anti-Islam agitator Tommy Robinson.
Adam Bernard, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokesperson for Harrow East commented:
“An area as religiously diverse as Harrow East deserves better than an MP who invites hatemongers to inflame tensions between communities.
“Mr Blackman needs to realise that his job is to represent people from all communities and of all faiths and nationalities.
“If he can't get the hang of that, perhaps he should consider a change of career?”
Bob Blackman, MP for Harrow East Photo: Wikimedia Commons[/caption]Harrow Liberal Democrats have responded with anger to the news that Bob Blackman has hosted an anti-Muslim extremist in Parliament.
The Tory MP for Harrow East hosted Tapan Ghosh, who has called for the UN to control the birth rate of Muslims, praised the genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Burma, and said that Muslims should be forced to leave their religion if they come to a western country. Mr Ghosh also used his visit to share a platform with far-right anti-Islam agitator Tommy Robinson.
Adam Bernard, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokesperson for Harrow East commented:
“An area as religiously diverse as Harrow East deserves better than an MP who invites hatemongers to inflame tensions between communities.
“Mr Blackman needs to realise that his job is to represent people from all communities and of all faiths and nationalities.
“If he can't get the hang of that, perhaps he should consider a change of career?”
Government must act now on flytipping
The Liberal Democrats have called on the government to act to tackle Britain's "fly-tipping epidemic," as figures revealed fly-tipping incidents topped a million this year for the first time since 2008.
[caption id="attachment_234" align="alignnone" width="225"]
Fly-tipping in Harrow.[/caption]
Wera Hobhouse MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Communities and Local Government, commented:
“Britain’s fly-tipping epidemic is spiralling out of control.
“Our roads and countryside are being turned into rubbish dumps, costing the taxpayer millions, but too many fly-tippers are being let off the hook.
“The government needs to do more to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
“Cash-strapped councils need more funding so they can increase bin collections and stop charging people to get rid of large household goods.”
[caption id="attachment_235" align="alignleft" width="225"]
Fly-tipping in Harrow.[/caption]
Chris Noyce, Liberal Democrat councillor for Rayners Lane said:
“Harrow has been particularly badly affected by fly-tipping — and the nuisance, smell, and vermin that go with it. This is not just a cosmetic problem; this is a quality of life issue for thousands of people living in Harrow”
In Harrow, the Liberal Democrats believe that the move to restrict access to the rubbish tip to residents only - and only if they remember to bring proof of residence - is likely to make this problem worse. In fact, we're campaigning to increase access to these sites, including opening up access to the Ruislip centre for local residents.
[caption id="attachment_234" align="alignnone" width="225"]
Fly-tipping in Harrow.[/caption]- Local authorities in England recorded 1,002,154 cases of fly-tipping in 2016-17, up 7% on the previous year. This is equivalent to 114 every hour.
- The estimated cost to the taxpayer for clearing up fly-tipping was £58 million, up 16% on the previous year
- The number of prosecutions for fly-tipping fell by a quarter to 1,602, compared to 2,135 the previous year
Wera Hobhouse MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Communities and Local Government, commented:
“Britain’s fly-tipping epidemic is spiralling out of control.
“Our roads and countryside are being turned into rubbish dumps, costing the taxpayer millions, but too many fly-tippers are being let off the hook.
“The government needs to do more to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
“Cash-strapped councils need more funding so they can increase bin collections and stop charging people to get rid of large household goods.”
[caption id="attachment_235" align="alignleft" width="225"]
Fly-tipping in Harrow.[/caption]Chris Noyce, Liberal Democrat councillor for Rayners Lane said:
“Harrow has been particularly badly affected by fly-tipping — and the nuisance, smell, and vermin that go with it. This is not just a cosmetic problem; this is a quality of life issue for thousands of people living in Harrow”
In Harrow, the Liberal Democrats believe that the move to restrict access to the rubbish tip to residents only - and only if they remember to bring proof of residence - is likely to make this problem worse. In fact, we're campaigning to increase access to these sites, including opening up access to the Ruislip centre for local residents.
