Brentwood Liberal Democrats

Knife crime was up 26% year-on-year, while overall crimes increased by 13%.

Commenting on the reported rise in violent crime, Ed Davey, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson, said:

"People's lives are under threat because Theresa May is failing to back Britain's police.

"These increases in violent crime are frightening and it ought to be government's first priority to protect the public. Yet with her police cuts, Theresa May has gone soft on crime and is letting the country down.

"Theresa May was the Home Secretary for six years: she ought to understand the needs of the police. Instead, she has left them out in the cold."

• 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

• 83 of 150 local authorities in England will see per pupil funding fall in in real terms during 2017-18, i.e. once inflation is taken into account.

• England as a whole will see spending per spending per pupil fall by £29 (0.65%) in real terms.

• Local authorities with some of the worst school results in England, including Blackpool, the Isle of Wight and Poole, will be hardest hit by the funding cuts

• The South East will see the largest real-terms fall, with funding per pupil falling by £131 (3%.)

"This report shows that a whole section of society are being failed by this government and remain permanently trapped in low-paid work.

"This is only being made worse by the Conservatives' pursuit of an extreme Brexit that is damaging businesses, pushing up prices and hitting the poorest hardest.

"We urgently need to invest more in education, including adult learning, to improve social mobility and help people escape from poverty.

"Employment rules must be made fit for the 21st century, to strengthen rights and increase security for workers."

"Labour's Brexit blank cheque was cashed in by Theresa May six months ago, after Labour MPs were ordered to vote through Article 50 with no conditions.

"Today is a chance for Labour to announce to EU leaders they will now fight to stay in the single market and customs union, and support a referendum on the deal.

Meanwhile, prices in the shops increased by 3.3% compared to last year, the largest annual rise since March 2012.

Liberal Democrat Leader Vince Cable commented:

"This fall in retail sales shows shoppers across Britain are feeling the Brexit squeeze.

"A toxic combination of rising prices and stagnant wages is severely constraining household spending.

"Year on year retail growth is also looking weak compared to previous years.

"Given the UK's unhealthy over-reliance on consumer spending, the government must clarify where future economic growth is going to come from."

These are empty, hypocritical words from Theresa May. EU citizens, many in a state of panic, who have already waited 15 months to have their rights protected, will be deeply disappointed.

The only acceptable solution is for the agreement on citizenship rights to be ring-fenced, giving both EU citizens here and British citizens in the EU, the peace of mind that, no matter what happens in the rest of the negotiations, their lives will be prioritised and protected.

If citizens' rights really are her first priority, the prime minister should immediately agree to separate them out, and openly challenge the other EU leaders to agree.

Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions spokesperson Stephen Lloyd MP said:
"The government has shown contempt for parliament by yet again seeking to ignore votes that happen to be inconvenient. Parliamentary votes are meant to matter, this is not a debating society.

"None of this changes the fact that the government's Universal Credit proposals are a slow motion car crash. The government lost the argument, and now it has lost the vote.
"Ministers must now re-consider these proposals that will draw millions into poverty. Parliament has spoken, the government has a duty, a moral duty, to now listen.

This morning, Theresa May has penned an open letter on her Facebook page on EU Citizens Rights. Unfortunately, the message is a huge disappointment.

It is a message full of empty words. People's lives must never be bargaining chips.

I feel so strongly about this, that I've replied directly to her open letter on Facebook - and if you agree with my message, I need you to add your voice to mine. Will you like and reply to my comment? You can do that here:

The festival of lights is upon us once again; across the country streets will be aglow with lights and decorations as thousands of Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists gather to celebrate the ancient festival of Diwali.

Celebrations such as these speak to our shared human experience, causing us to see beyond that which too often divides us. There is a universal capacity to resist evil, hate and ignorance, this is particularly significant given the intolerance and division we continue to witness across many parts of the country. Let us all use this time to reignite the lamp of kindness and compassion within ourselves.
As you gather with family and friends to light the Diya, pray and exchange gifts I wish you a peaceful and joyous time. Shubh Diwali!