A poll for the Independent Newspaper by CommunicateResearch found there has been a sharp rise in support for the Liberal Democrats, mainly at Labour's expense. They give the current state of the parties as the Tories on 34 per cent (down two points on last month), Labour 29% (down eight points), the Liberal Democrats on 21 per cent (up seven points) and other parties on 16 per cent (up three points).
An NHS trust which refused to fund a drug for a former Halifax MP who is losing her sight has announced it will review its decision. Alice Mahon, 69, threatened to take Calderdale Primary Care Trust (PCT) to the High Court over its refusal to fund a drug which could help her condition. She is nearly blind in one eye due to wet age-related macular degeneration.
The future of Leicester's New College is looking even brighter. The Lib Dem city council has announced that millions of pounds are to be spent on re-building the college to provide a state-of-the art school and community facility.
During the Police grant debate today in the House of Commons, Paul Holmes, Liberal Democrat MP for Chesterfield challenged Police Minister Tony McNulty MP when the Minister offered no hope at all that Derbyshire would get the money the Government itself says Derbyshire Police needs. Paul Holmes MP said:
The number of police officers in England and Wales has fallen for the first time since March 2000, the Home Office revealed. The total dropped by 173 from the end of March last year to 141,873 at the end of September.
Commenting on the news that the number of police officers in England and Wales has fallen for the first time since March 2000, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Nick Clegg MP said:
