http://westmidslibdems.org.uk/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from West Midlands Liberal Democrats en-GB West Midlands Liberal Democrats http://westmidslibdems.org.uk/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2008 West Midlands Liberal Democrats 2008-05-17T04:23+01:00 United Kingdom http://westmidslibdems.org.uk/news/001766/west_mids_sikh_visit_to_european_parliament_ends_in_protest.html Today was the day when local LibDem Euro-MP Liz Lynne was supposed to welcome a delegation from the Sikh Federation in the West Midlands to the European Parliament, but it finished as a protest outside the building when, for the third year running, delegates were not allowed to enter. 2008-05-07T16:48+01:00 http://westmidslibdems.org.uk/news/001765/close_rights_loophole_for_older_people_asap_says_mep.html Liberal Democrat MEP Liz Lynne is urging the government to move quickly to close a loophole that exempts thousands of older people in the UK from human rights legislation. She has also raised the issue with the EU institutions by amending a parliamentary question on elder abuse, which will be debated later this month. 2008-05-07T16:46+01:00 http://westmidslibdems.org.uk/news/001764/mps_back_keetchs_call_over_mugabe_knighthood.html Fifty MPs have now backed calls by Hereford MP Paul Keetch to strip Robert Mugabe of the honorary knighthood given him by Britain in 1994. Yesterday leads from the Zimbabwean electoral commission suggested that Mugabe came second in his country's Presidential Election, but he still clings on to power. 2008-05-03T00:18+01:00 http://westmidslibdems.org.uk/news/001763/mp_releases_charity_song_for_family_miscarriages_of_justice.html John Hemming, a Birmingham MP who chairs the organisation "justice for families" is releasing a charity song called "bring the sunshine in" to fight miscarriages of justice against mothers and fathers. 2008-05-03T00:16+01:00 http://westmidslibdems.org.uk/news/001762/candidate_joins_forces_with_community_action_for_move_to_new_malvern_hospital_site.html West Worcestershire's Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate, Richard Burt has joined forces with Malvern and District Community Action to press for a new headquarters on the site of the new hospital to be built at Seaford Court in Malvern. 2008-05-01T20:15+01:00 http://westmidslibdems.org.uk/news/001761/government_dragging_its_heels_on_drinkdrive_limit.html A local Euro-MP has criticised the government for taking too long to look into lowering the drink-drive limit, despite Britain having a higher limit and a lower breathalyser test-rate than most other EU countries. 2008-04-30T16:49+01:00 http://westmidslibdems.org.uk/news/001760/mp_backs_farm_animal_welfare_campaign.html Solihull's MP, Lorely Burt has backed an all-party campaign in Westminster designed to improve standards of farm animal welfare by raising the bar for food procurement for the public sector, including schools, hospitals, prisons, the armed forces and staff canteens. 2008-04-30T16:48+01:00 http://westmidslibdems.org.uk/news/001758/keetch_calls_on_all_to_support_our_armed_forces.html Paul Keetch, Liberal Democrat MP for Hereford, in a letter published in Saturday's Daily Telegraph newspaper, together with the president, patrons and vice presidents of the United Kingdom National Defence Association [UKNDA] has issued an appeal to all to join a recently created campaign to address the issues surrounding the over stretch and underfunding of the UK's Armed Forces. 2008-04-28T19:22+01:00 http://westmidslibdems.org.uk/news/001759/mp_launches_75th_anniversary_celebrations_for_shirley_royal_british_legion.html Solihull's MP, Lorely Burt was guest of honour at the launch of 75th anniversary celebrations for Shirley Branch of the Royal British Legion recently. 2008-04-28T18:27+01:00 http://westmidslibdems.org.uk/news/001757/burt_highlights_plight_of_county_pig_farmers.html West Worcestershire Parliamentary Candidate, Richard Burt today visited Lawn Farm in Welland to highlight concerns about the plight of the pig farming industry in Worcestershire and across the UK. 2008-04-27T22:19+01:00 http://westmidslibdems.org.uk/news/001756/change_in_eu_beef_rules_good_for_local_farmers.html Local Euro-MP and LibDem European agriculture spokesperson for England and Wales Liz Lynne has welcomed a decision by the European Commission to relax the rules on processing slaughtered beef on the bone. 2008-04-25T20:23+01:00 http://westmidslibdems.org.uk/news/001755/meps_push_for_continued_pressure_on_burmese_government.html China and ASEAN must rein in the excesses of the Burmese junta and the EU must campaign for a worldwide arms embargo to improve the lot of the Burmese people. That was the message of MEPs today in a strongly worded resolution adopted by an overwhelming majority in the European Parliament. 2008-04-24T17:55+01:00 http://westmidslibdems.org.uk/news/001754/eu_gun_control_strengthened.html EU Member States have agreed to improve and tighten gun control legislation, in order to reinforce the fight against organised crime and firearms trafficking. Among the measures agreed are improved traceability and stronger rules for the acquisition, sale and possession of firearms, in particular for convertible weapons. 2008-04-24T17:18+01:00 http://westmidslibdems.org.uk/news/001753/mp_slams_topdown_dictatorship_on_regional_spatial_strategy.html Solihull Liberal Democrat MP Lorely Burt, has slammed the Government imposition of a further 40,000 houses on top of the 365,000 agreed by the WM Regional Assembly for the Regional Spatial Strategy. 2008-04-23T15:26+01:00 http://westmidslibdems.org.uk/news/001752/food_price_rises_caution_urged.html LibDem European agriculture spokesperson Liz Lynne has urged caution in the wake of rapid food price rises which some have blamed on the increase in biofuel cultivation. 2008-04-23T13:11+01:00