A Unite/Mori student survey carried out in January 2004 on voting intentions gives the Lib Dems a leading share of 34%, with Labour on 28% and the Tories third on 19%. Students will have a major impact in 2005, as the elections are expected during the university year, on May 5, unlike in 2001 when the elections fell during the holiday period.
Commenting on the launch of an online map to tell homeowners about flooding risks in England and Wales, Norman Baker MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, said:
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.
To mark EU anti-trafficking day and UK anti-slavery day, Lib Dem MEP for South-East England Catherine Bearder, hosted a special event called "The Truth About Trafficking", along with the University of Oxford's European Affairs Society. Invited speakers included Superintendent Bernie Gravett of the Metropolitan Police and Julia Immonen of Sky Sports.
Each day since the General Election the Coalition Government has had to borrow an extra £400 million. That's because for every £300 coming in the government is spending £400.
The Liberal Democrats at County Hall have urged the Conservative administration to support the voluntary sector in Surrey with actions, rather than words.
Surrey County Council has approved a motion put forward by the Liberal Democrat group, agreeing to investigate the use of renewable energy to generate income for the Council, whilst lowering carbon emissions.
Following a long battle led by the Lib Dems, European governments, including the UK, have adopted a new law giving all criminal suspects in the EU the right to free interpretation and translation of questioning, court proceedings and essential documents. This right will apply right through from arrest to trial.
Surrey Liberal Democrats have slammed the Conservative-led County Council's plan for a massive increase in the cost of residents' on-street Parking Permits.
