Welsh Liberal blogs

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have continued to call on Priti Patel to withdraw the Nationality and Borders Bill in light of the war in Ukraine and the ensuing refugee crisis.   MPs are set to debate some of the Bill’s most controversial aspects in the House of Commons today [Tuesday 22nd March], including Government plans to:   Criminalise refugees simply for coming to the UK to seek asylum. “Offshore” asylum seekers by sending them to another country while their claims are processed. Create a second class of refugees with fewer rights and only temporary protection. The Liberal Democrats worked with others in the House of Lords to pass amendments that would remove these laws from the Bill, highlighting that they would criminalise people fleeing Ukraine who come to the UK seeking asylum.   So far, 3.5 million people have fled Ukraine since Vladimir Putin unleashed his war, according to the UNHCR. More than 150,000 people across the UK have offered to hos...

  The Welsh Liberal Democrats have hit out at Priti Patel and the Conservatives after it has emerged that up to half of Welsh trainee GPs this year could be lost due to what they describe as the Home Office’s “archaic immigration policies”. As reported by the Welsh BMA GPs committee today, it takes three years for trainee GPs to achieve their Certificate of Completion of training (CCT). But current Home Office rules implemented by Priti Patel and the Conservatives mean that individuals must have worked for 5 years under a Skilled Workers Visa in order to be able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILTR).   As a result of this rule, 80 out of this year’s 160 GP trainees in Wales will not be eligible to stay in the country under (ILTR) because of limited work opportunities at Welsh GP practices that serve as established Skilled Worker visa sponsors.   Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said:   “It is unbelievable that the Conserva...

Former Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for Cardiff Central and Deputy First Minister of Wales Jenny Randerson has slammed the Conservatives for trying to push through the “dangerous & draconian” Police Bill.   The 300 page Bill would see sweeping powers given to the Home Office to restrict the right to protest, giving police new powers to disrupt protests, marches and assemblies, make it easier to criminalise organisers and participants and increase prison sentences for them. This morning Baroness Camilla Cavendish, Crossbench Peer and Former Head of Policy for Number 10 under David Cameron warned that if the House of Lords does not amend the Police Bill today, “we will be sleepwalking into a police state”. Commenting Baroness Randerson said: “These new Conservative laws to crackdown on protests are dangerous and draconian. The right to peaceful assembly and protest is a fundamental human right. It has always been a crucial part of our democra...