Much has happened in Europe since the party last reviewed policy in The Future of Europe (policy paper 56) in 2003: there has been a substantial enlargement of the European Union, significant uncertainty about its institutional arrangements following signature of the constitutional treaty and growing challenges (such as climate change, globalisation, migration, criminality and human rights abuses) in many of the policy areas in which the EU operates.
As the publication of the Rail Regulator's report into rail trends shows that complaints about fares are rising, the Liberal Democrats have released research showing that Britain has the most expensive open fares in Europe. Ten pounds will take you over 660 miles in Slovakia, over 200 miles in Italy but only 39 miles in Britain. For the same amount of money, passengers can travel nearly three times that distance in France.
Gordon Brown's mask slipped today when he insisted his raid on pension funds was right and that he'd do it again. In a speech in Scotland where Labour are expected to get drubbed at the polls, the Chancellor pointed out that the pensions raid had let him cut corporation tax.
Dundee Liberal Democrats today (Sunday 1st April) gave their support to comments by Scottish party leader Nicol Stephen MSP that the elections in May are "all to play for" as far as the Liberal Democrats are concerned.
Only one in 40 police officers on duty in some forces is available to respond to 999 calls, according to a HM Inspectorate of Constabulary study published yesterday. The report found that only 2.5 per cent of uniformed officers in one area were allocated to "response duties".
Darren Friel is a former Vice Chairman of East Park Tenants and Residents Association has been an active campaigner for a better environment for local residents. He is well known in the area and has decided to stand because he feels that the area has issues that are not being met by the current labour councillors.
