VE Day Headlines

 

Liberal Democrat VE Day Tribute The UK is marking the 75th anniversary of VE Day by paying tribute to the sacrifices made during the Second World War. On this 75th anniversary of VE Day we remember all those who put their lives at risk to defend our freedoms and defeat fascism. Today we honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice, as well as all today's armed forces who continue to sacrifice so much to keep us all safe. We cannot thank them enough for what they are doing at home and around the world today, defending freedom. We must never grow complacent or be fooled into thinking that war is impossible. This anniversary we must honour the sacrifices made and recommit to ensuring that international cooperation and hard-won peace across Europe is protected so that we may never suffer the death and destruction of World War II again. Govt must publish evidence used for PM's announcement on Sunday Ahead of the Prime Minister's speech on Sunday concerning lockdown measures, the Liberal Democrats have called for a strategy to increase the UK's testing capacity, as well as increasing our ability to trace the virus and to provide protective equipment to frontline workers. With the number of cases remaining alarmingly high in care homes and the fact that the Government still doesn't have a comprehensive plan to test, trace and isolate to keep people safe, there will be serious questions about the consequences of any significant relaxation of lockdown measures. For the public to have confidence in the Government's plan for relaxing the lockdown, they must be open and transparent. The evidence used to make these decisions must be published and available to all for proper scrutiny. The announcement on Sunday must also include a strategy to hugely increase the UK's testing capacity, as well as increasing our ability to trace the virus and to provide protective equipment to frontline workers. Give transport workers PPE now, says cross-party group The Liberal Democrats are leading a cross-party effort to ensure Ministers renew guidelines and urgently upscale PPE for all transport workers in preparation for exiting the government enforced lockdown. The Coronavirus crisis is an unprecedented threat. No one should have to fear that their livelihood could put them at death's door, but sadly across the country that is a reality for many transport workers. They deserve better. Liberal Democrats are therefore calling on the Government to renew guidelines and urgently upscale PPE for all transport workers, who are doing their job to keep our NHS going, in preparation for exiting the government enforced lockdown. Govt must address disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on BAME groups Provisional analysis from the ONS has shown that the risk of death involving Covid-19 among some ethnic groups is significantly higher than that of those of white ethnicity. ONS statistics also showed one in three key workers are worried about health and safety at work. The disproportionate toll of COVID-19 on people from BAME groups is extremely alarming. The Government must address the entrenched socio-economic inequalities some communities face as an absolute priority. Liberal Democrats have repeatedly called for the Government to collect ethnicity data via the online NHS Covid-19 survey. People from BAME groups also make up a significant percentage of those on the frontline, working in our NHS, care sector and key worker roles. The Government must get frontline workers the testing and protection they need now and properly recognise their service.