Wimbledon Park Liberal Democrats

(Click picture to play video)

It is shameful that, despite all the promise on a four or five year old’s first day at school, or the passion of their teachers, you can all too often plot that child’s path just by asking how much their parents earn.

The £2.5billion Pupil Premium was one of the four pledges on the front page of our manifesto.  And now, with Liberal Democrats in government, schools are using the money for things like breakfast clubs; homework clubs; or to provide one-to-one-tuition. These are the sort of experiences many middle class children take for granted but a poorer child might rarely enjoy.

Yesterday I visited a fantastic primary school to see how they are spending their Pupil Premium, highlight our new Summer Schools to ease the transition from primary to secondary, and to set out our plans to reward teachers and hold schools to account.

The Pupil Premium shows that, in tough times, we are implementing Liberal Democrat values and prioritising help for those pupils who need it most.

Best wishes,

Nick Clegg MP

Leader of the Liberal Democrats and Deputy Prime Minister

PS Click here to find out how much money your local school will receive from the Liberal Democrats’ Pupil Premium.

This week, Paul Burstow (Liberal Democrat minister at the Department of Health) has launched a national £4 million lung cancer awareness campaign. The campaign, the first of its kind, will use TV, radio and press adverts, and advertising on pharmacist bags and inside GP surgeries, to raise awareness of the disease.

One of its aims is to persuade anyone who has had a cough for more than three weeks to see their doctor.

You can find more information about coughing and lung cancer at the Department of Health website, here: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/05/coughing-could-be-a-sign-of-lung-cancer-2/

With 33,000 new cases diagnosed each year, lung cancer is a blight on the lives of far too many of our families and an early diagnosis can make all the difference. Please take the opportunity of the Be Clear on Cancer campaign to find out more about prevention and diagnosis, and to visit your local doctor if you’ve had a persistent cough – it is always better to be safe than sorry!

http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/tag/be-clear-on-cancer/

Commenting on the result in the Wimbledon Park by-election on 3 May, Liberal Democrat candidate Dave Busby said:

“I want to congratulate Conservative candidate Linda Taylor on her result, and wish her the best of luck representing all of Wimbledon Park and working hard for residents over the next few years. The local Lib Dem team will continue to stand up for residents – the vast majority of the people we spoke to backed our campaign to get the Weir Road recycling centre opened again, and we hope that both the Council and the Conservative opposition will now take this on board. Thank you to everyone who voted for me in this by-election.”

Lisa Smart, the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Merton and Wandsworth constituency on the London Assembly added:

Read the rest of this entry »

I just wanted to let you know how grateful I am for the warm welcome I’ve had whilst speaking to people about the council by-election this coming Thursday.

On the doorstep there has been one issue that people have raised time-and-time again: the inexplicable closure of the Weir Road recycling centre. Having vigorously campaigned against the closure, if you elect me as your councillor I will continue the fight until its eventual re-opening.

Read the rest of this entry »

As well as the Wimbledon Park council by-election, there are also elections for the Mayor and the London Assembly on Thursday 3 May. The Mayor and the London Assembly make decisions that affect our everyday lives in London, including on transport, policing, housing and the environment.

Read the rest of this entry »

Official reports have confirmed that no Liberal Democrat-run council in England has increased council tax for their residents. This is unlike both other major parties, many of which are increasing council tax by up to 3.5% this year.

Commenting on Labour and Conservative councils’ record on Council Tax, Liberal Democrat Party President, Tim Farron said:

“While Labour and the Tories fight over how many of their councils raised Council Tax, it’s clear that with the Liberal Democrats your money is safest: no Liberal Democrat-run council in England has raised Council Tax.

“Ordinary working families are struggling already with paying bills, without their councils increasing the burden.

“The choice in next month’s elections is clear: vote Liberal Democrat for financially responsible councils that create jobs. Vote Labour and the Tories for waste, mismanagement and tax rises.”

As well as freezing council tax across the country, Liberal Democrat councils are protecting front-line services, fighting to keep libraries and Sure Start centres open. This is in addition to the achievements of the Liberal Democrats in government, which after the Budget include a £130 income tax cut for all working families, the largest-ever rise in the basic state pension, an increase in child tax credits for the poorest families, and an increase in the Lib Dem Pupil Premium to £600 for every pupil receiving Free School Meals.

At every level of government, the Liberal Democrats are cutting taxes for low- and middle-earners and better targeting help to those that need it the most. It is a record of financial responsibility of which we can be proud.

A first look at part of this week’s Liberal Democrat Local Election Broadcast. This clip looks at our key pledge to cut taxes for working families, and celebrates the fact that Liberal Democrats in government have achieved:

• The biggest-ever single uplift in the tax-free personal allowance
• A £3.5 billion tax cut for working men and women
• 840,000 of the lowest earners in the country lifted completely out of paying Income Tax

Next year, the allowance increases again (to £9,205) – within touching distance of our manifesto promise to increase the Income Tax threshold to £10,000.

These are all significant achievements that are already making a difference for millions of hard-working men and women across Britain. Real change for real families in tough times – promised and delivered by the Liberal Democrats.

Following the news that one of Wimbledon Park’s Conservative councillors has resigned from Merton Council, local Liberal Democrats have backed Durnsford Road resident Dave Busby as their candidate. The by-election will take place on May 3rd – the same day as voters across London go to the polls to elect a new mayor and London Assembly members.

At the last elections here in 2010, the election was a two horse race between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

Dave is an experienced local campaigner, having been at the forefront of the campaign to retain a direct Thameslink rail service between Wimbledon and the City and central London and the fight against the closure of the Weir Road recycling centre.

After the announcement, Dave said:

“I’m delighted that Liberal Democrats have backed me for this by-election in Wimbledon Park. Having lived here for a number of years, I know the issues that really matter to local people.

“Local Lib Dems have already supported local businesses by restoring the first free 20-minutes parking in Arthur Road. And we’re fighting to protect direct Thameslink services to central London; to safeguard Weir Road from unsuitable waste processing development; and to prevent cuts to our local police team.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to champion these issues during the campaign and continuing to get out and listen to people on the doorstep so that I can act as an independent voice for residents”.

Leader of the Lib Dems on Merton Council Iain Dysart said:

“It is great news that Dave will be standing once again for the Lib Dems in Wimbledon Park. David has been campaigning on Lib Dem issues for years and knows the area like the back of his hand.

“During these difficult times, when the Labour-run Council are cutting back many important services and trying to make cuts which will be bad for local business – like removing 20-minutes free parking – it is clear that we need another strong Liberal Democrat voice on the Council”.

We can be proud that the biggest tax cuts in today’s Budget go to millions of working families.

As a result of this Budget, someone working a full week on minimum wage will see their income tax bill cut by over 50% compared to under Labour.

Increasing the personal allowance to £9,205 takes us within touching distance of our number one manifesto pledge – ensuring no one pays any tax on the first £10,000 they earn.

Thanks to our changes, a basic rate taxpayer will be paying £45 a month less in tax than they would have been under Labour.

We can be proud that we’ve ensured the richest in our society will be paying more, much more.

The Tycoon Tax, an increase in stamp duty for high value properties and other new taxes on wealth will raise five times as much as the 50p tax rate. Those with annual incomes of more than £150,000 a year will be paying on average an additional £1,300 a year in tax, as a result of this Budget.

Of course, this is a Coalition Budget and we did not get our own way on everything. Conservative priorities are not ours. But as on so many other issues, we have made sure that there is a real Liberal Democrat stamp on this Budget.

Lower taxes for more than 20 million working people; effective new taxes on the rich.

This is a Budget we can be proud of – a Budget for the many, not the few.

Best wishes,