People in Kent have delivered a resounding 'yes' vote to retain their own county police force. Kent Police Authority was told at a meeting on Wednesday 14 December that nearly four out of five people do not want their police service to merge with others under Home Office proposals to create new strategic regional forces.
At Prime Minister's Questions today Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy MP challenged Tony Blair to hold an enquiry into rendition flights. This follows claims that MI6 officers interrogated a former UK student in Pakistan and then handed him to the CIA for 'extraordinary rendition' and torture.
Commenting on Conservative statements making clear that they support education reforms that would allow schools to set their own admissions policy, including selection by ability, Liberal Democrat Shadow Education Secretary Edward Davey MP said:
Speaking following the Governments announcement on the Provisional Local Government Settlement, Bedford Borough Council Lib Dem Group Leader, Michael Headley, said:
Former education secretary Estelle Morris may vote against government plans to reform schools. Tony Blair is facing a Labour backbench rebellion over a proposal to create "independent" state schools in England. Under the government's education white paper, some schools would become self-governing trusts, with more freedom from local authorities over their finances, staff and which pupils they take.
The Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable MP, spoke to a packed audience at Sutton Green Golf Club recently. The former Chief Economist for Shell said that whilst the UK had done reasonably well, the signs of potential economic problems were becoming clearer. In particular the increasing national debt and the pensions crisis worried him.
