Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy today launched the Liberal Democrat Pre-manifesto - the first important stage in the manifesto process, which will take the Party into the General Election.
Under new Liberal Democrat proposals police chiefs would sign contracts with local communities setting out how many officers they would deploy. The "minimum policing guarantees" would set funding levels for local police for a rolling three-year period. The guarantees are part of the party's new plans to tackle crime. The plans include using money earmarked for the government's ID card plan to hire an extra 10,000 front line police and 20,000 community support officers.
Three-quarters of the Liberal Democrat manifesto is becoming government policy, according to independent research. Sunday's Politics Show featured the results of research by independent academics into how each party in the Coalition Government is doing at getting its polices enacted.
After having heard the news of the death of Osama bin Laden, Guy Verhofstadt, President of the ALDE Group in the European Parliament, felt relief. Verhofstadt was President of the European Council back in 2001 when 9/11 took place. In the name of the European Union he called these attacks "barbaric". After having heard the news of the death of Osama bin Laden, Guy Verhofstadt, President of the ALDE Group in the European Parliament, felt relief. Verhofstadt was President of the European Council back in 2001 when 9/11 took place. In the name of the European Union he called these attacks "barbaric".
Because over 20,000 people signed Surrey County Council's on-line petition opposing the introduction of charges for on-street parking throughout Surrey, using Pay & Display machines, a formal debate will take place during the council's AGM on Tuesday 10 May.
Catherine Bearder MEP, who has fought hard to encourage the government to opt-in to the directive, commented: "I am delighted the UK government intends to make such a strong commitment to the fight against human trafficking. The NGOs and anti-trafficking community groups I work with have been calling for the opt-in for some time now."
Fire-fighters are warning that the number of Fire Engines available at night is planned to be cut by Surrey County Council, reducing public safety at the time people feel most vulnerable.
Commenting on the announcement that Conservative run Surrey County Council expect to save £200,000 a year on road markings through a new contract, County Councillor Stephen Cooksey, Liberal Democrat spokesman on Highways and Transportation, said: "It would be very difficult to strike a deal with anyone that didn't improve on the appalling contract for Surrey highways that is about to come to an end, or not to secure better value for money
