Your July Briefing from the Liberal Democrats in Parliament.

We celebrated the 75th anniversary of the NHS this week. This iconic institution should rightly be celebrated, but we also know it needs vast improvements. While the Conservatives have neglected our health service, we are fighting to restore and enhance it.

Last week, Helen Morgan (MP for North Shropshire) addressed the shocking A&E waiting times that patients are experiencing.

In a speech to parliament, Helen also called for a debate on the current state of diabetes care, highlighting the reported 7,000 diabetes-related excess deaths in 2022.

Patients and staff deserve better. We will always stand up to protect them, and the NHS.

You can watch Helen’s contribution here:

As the cost of living crisis continues to impact families across the country, Sarah Green (MP for Chesham and Amersham) raised awareness for those on disability benefits, who have been disproportionately affected.

Sarah called for the reintroduction of the universal credit uplift, extending it to all claimants on legacy benefits, which would greatly help living standards.

You can watch Sarah’s speech by clicking below.

Sarah also championed human rights in Iran in the face of the regime’s crackdown on protests and spoke out against the persecution of women. Sarah called for the government to reconsider its position on BBC Persian Radio, by supporting the return of this free and independent media for the country.

You can read Sarah’s full contribution here:

In the week when some of Russia’s own turned against Putin, Richard Foord (MP for Tiverton and Honiton) called on the Foreign Secretary to take action on Russia’s censorship of its national media.

Richard highlighted that whilst this is an internal matter within Russia, the impact on the Ukrainian defence and world security is compromised by the false narrative Russia is giving.

We must help inform the Russian people what is really happening in Ukraine, so they recognise how they are being exploited.

Richard has also spoken out this month against the government’s cuts to the size of the British army and the impact this has on our own national security and that of our NATO allies, and the world.

As a former British Army officer himself, Richard is holding the government to account for its short-sighted defence policy.

Since Paddy Ashdown's leadership, Liberal Democrats have been standing up for Hong Kong.

After years of long campaigning by Liberal Democrats, the UK Government finally agreed to the British National Overseas visa scheme, allowing Hong Kongers a liferaft to the UK should they need it.

Our hard work continues to this day. Hong Kong has issued extraordinary arrest warrants and bounties against pro-democracy activists overseas, including three who came to live in this country.

Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesperson Layla Moran (MP for Oxford West and Abingdon) secured an Urgent Question in the House of Commons.

She urged the Foreign Secretary to meet with the activists and questioned why the UK - unlike our allies - has failed to sanction Hong Kong officials involved in the crackdown.

You can watch Layla's speech here:

The government’s immoral and unworkable Illegal Migration Bill faced several defeats in the House of Lords recently.

Working with colleagues from all benches in the House, Liberal Democrat Peers helped pass 20 amendments to the Bill, including measures that would limit the length of time children and pregnant women can be detained, and a ban on deporting LGBTQ+ individuals to countries in which they would face persecution, including Rwanda.

As the government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was ruled unlawful by the Court of Appeal last week, it is no surprise the government’s bill plans to scrap judicial oversight of immigration matters.

These amendments will now be considered by the Commons, where Lib Dem MPs will be defending the changes made by the Lords. Ministers face being put on the spot about why they are overturning some very sensible changes – such as why they are rejecting an amendment from the Archbishop of Canterbury to have a ten-year strategy on refugees and human trafficking.

The Lords' changes will go a long way to stopping this bill and its inhumane measures from becoming a reality.

You can read about our plans for immigration here:

The Liberal Democrats held their debate day in the House of Lords on the 15th of June, where we were able to control the business of the House. Two topics were chosen for the day: the NHS and reinvigorating local democracy through supporting local government.

Opening the debate on the NHS, Liberal Democrat Peer Lord Scriven highlighted the importance of harnessing technology, including data and AI, as well as adopting a better community-based approach, to take the NHS into the future.

On Local Government, Lord Shipley spoke of his concerns about the Government’s increasing desire to centralise local service delivery across England. As Liberal Democrats, we strongly oppose this kind of move and are calling for a guaranteed constitutional status for local government, and a fiscal understanding of what the powers of local government should be in the future.

You can read the full debates here: