Welcome to the website of West Midlands Liberal Democrats

The West Midlands covers the five counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and the metropolitan area of the West Midlands.

The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity - Preamble to the Liberal Democrat Constitution

MP CALLS FOR ACTION ON ZIMBABWE REGIME Thu 3rd Jul 2008 Solihull's MP, Lorely Burt is calling on borough residents to support an international petition aimed at getting the United Nations Security Council and the Southern African Development Comunity to take action over Robert Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe
Read "MP CALLS FOR ACTION ON ZIMBABWE REGIME" in full (257 words).

MEP BACKS LEGAL BID TO END MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE Thu 3rd Jul 2008 The MEP who first helped to ensure that age discrimination in the workplace was outlawed across the EU has said she hopes the European Court of Justice will decide the UK Government is wrong to let people in the UK still get the sack simply because they are over 65.
Read "MEP BACKS LEGAL BID TO END MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE" in full (273 words).

MEP ANGER AT POST OFFICE CLOSURES ACROSS VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES Thu 3rd Jul 2008 Shropshire Euro-MP Liz Lynne has reacted angrily to news that 14 Post Offices across Shropshire are to be closed despite a massive protest campaign by residents, staff and local councillors.
Read "MEP ANGER AT POST OFFICE CLOSURES ACROSS VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES " in full (295 words).

"EQUALITY RAPPORTEUR" WELCOMES ANTI-DISCRIMINATION DIRECTIVE" Thu 3rd Jul 2008 Local LibDem Euro-MP Liz Lynne, whose report calling for a comprehensive anti-discrimination directive was recently adopted by the European Parliament, welcomed the European Commissions' announcement today that they are indeed going to bring forward such a directive.
Read ""EQUALITY RAPPORTEUR" WELCOMES ANTI-DISCRIMINATION DIRECTIVE"" in full (247 words).

Demand for EU Health Tourism highlights Government's NHS failures, says MEP Thu 3rd Jul 2008 The European Commission today unveiled healthcare proposals that could give UK patients new rights to seek medical treatment elsewhere in the EU. The EU proposal follows a 2006 European Court of Justice ruling that the NHS could not refuse to refund costs of overseas treatment if patients waited longer than clinicians advised, even if waiting list targets were met.

Read "Demand for EU Health Tourism highlights Government's NHS failures, says MEP " in full (284 words).

Report shows widespread hidden abuse of domestic workers Thu 3rd Jul 2008 Liberal Democrat MEP Liz Lynne has welcomed a report released today by Oxfam and the campaign group Kalayaan which sheds light on the extent of abuse of migrant domestic workers in the UK and highlights the importance of the currently under threat domestic worker visa ,which gives migrant domestic workers the same basic rights as other workers.

Read "Report shows widespread hidden abuse of domestic workers" in full (306 words).

LORELY SENDS BURNING MESSAGE TO SOLIHULL YOUNGSTERS Tue 1st Jul 2008 Solihull's MP, Lorely Burt today warned of the dangers of skin cancer, and urged local youngsters to learn more about sun safety, after figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats revealed skin cancer diagnoses have risen by 26% since 2001, while the government has slashed funding for skin cancer awareness by a third. In addition, the figures show hospital admissions for sunburn,heatstroke and dehydration have also risen sharply.

Read "LORELY SENDS BURNING MESSAGE TO SOLIHULL YOUNGSTERS" in full (432 words).

'SHEFFIELD HOUSE CONSULTATION A SHAM' - BURT Tue 1st Jul 2008 Local Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, Richard Burt has condemned County Council Health Scrutiny investigations into the proposed closure of Sheffield House as a sham, saying the views of service users were not heard.
Read "'SHEFFIELD HOUSE CONSULTATION A SHAM' - BURT" in full (212 words).

MP SEARCHES FOR 'SHIPWRECKED' VOLUNTEER Tue 1st Jul 2008 Solihull's MP, Lorely Burt is looking for a constituent with an interest in politics who would like to be 'shipwrecked' on the idyllic Cook Islands.
Read "MP SEARCHES FOR 'SHIPWRECKED' VOLUNTEER" in full (194 words).

AGE DISCRIMINATION LEGISLATION WELCOME SAYS EU's "EQUALITY RAPPORTEUR" Thu 26th Jun 2008 Liberal Democrat MEP Liz Lynne has today welcomed the announcement by the Government that it will bring forward legislation to combat discrimination on the grounds of age in access to goods and services ahead of European legislation in this field that was on the cards.
Read "AGE DISCRIMINATION LEGISLATION WELCOME SAYS EU's "EQUALITY RAPPORTEUR"" in full (363 words).

LibDem MEP HITS OUT AT LIST OF COVENTRY & WARKS POST OFFICES CONSIDERED FOR CLOSURE Wed 25th Jun 2008 Local Euro-MP Liz Lynne has reacted angrily to the release today of the list of Coventry & Warwickshire post offices earmarked for consultation on closure. The consultation programme is part of the government's wider post office closures plan and is likely to see many on the list closed along with up to 2500 nationwide.

Read "LibDem MEP HITS OUT AT LIST OF COVENTRY & WARKS POST OFFICES CONSIDERED FOR CLOSURE" in full (297 words).

KASHMIR MASS GRAVE ALLEGATIONS MUST BE INVESTIGATED - MEP Wed 25th Jun 2008 Reports of mass graves in Indian-controlled Kashmir must be thoroughly investigated if there is to be any progress towards peace in the troubled region, according to a Liberal Democrat MEP.
Read "KASHMIR MASS GRAVE ALLEGATIONS MUST BE INVESTIGATED - MEP " in full (311 words).

'SOLIHULL HAS NOT BENEFITED FROM BROWN'S FIRST YEAR AS PRIME MINISTER' - BURT Wed 25th Jun 2008 Solihull has not benefited from Gordon Brown's leadership, according to Solihull's MP, Lorely Burt.
Read "'SOLIHULL HAS NOT BENEFITED FROM BROWN'S FIRST YEAR AS PRIME MINISTER' - BURT" in full (254 words).

'FINAL PITT REPORT ON FLOODING A WASH-OUT' - BURT Wed 25th Jun 2008 Local Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, Richard Burt has condemned the findings of the government sponsored Pitt report into flooding protection as a "wash out" and "woefully inadequate" following its publication this morning.
Read "'FINAL PITT REPORT ON FLOODING A WASH-OUT' - BURT" in full (251 words).

LIBERAL DEMOCRAT LEADER, NICK CLEGG TO MEET BATTLING PARENTS OF PERSHORE CARE CENTRE Tue 24th Jun 2008 Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg will meet battling parents from Pershore Care Centre as the latest twist in their fight to save the Centre from closure.
Read "LIBERAL DEMOCRAT LEADER, NICK CLEGG TO MEET BATTLING PARENTS OF PERSHORE CARE CENTRE" in full (138 words).

Archive of earlier news stories.