Marking International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO), the European Parliament organised a hearing yesterday, which included both victims and experts to tackle the rise in homophobia. Several Members of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats - the EU Parliament group of which the Liberal Democrats are the UK member - took active part in this event.
Liberal Democrat Party President, Simon Hughes MP, attended a demonstration outside the Home Office today to mark the second International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO), and raise awareness of the plight of LGBT asylum seekers.
Dundee City Council's LibDem Finance Convener and West End councillor, Fraser Macpherson, has expressed "real concern" at the proposal to sharply increase parking charges at Ninewells Hospital and has said he was writing to NHS Tayside seeking detailed clarification of the parking charges proposals that will go before the NHS Tayside Board on Thursday 18th May.
Liberal Democrat European justice spokeswoman Baroness Sarah Ludford is using today's International Day against Homophobia to call for tougher action to stamp out homophobic crime across the EU. She said:
Responding to the OFSTED report into the teaching of maths in schools, Liberal Democrat Shadow Education Secretary, Sarah Teather MP said:"This report is a terrible indictment of the Government's policies on testing and league tables. Teaching to the test is the inevitable consequence of the government obsession with ranking schools by their exam results. Despite millions spent on advertising, increased salaries and golden hellos the Government still can't attract enough graduates into teaching. Standards in maths, science and modern languages are all under threat because of a lack of expert staff to teach them."
Commenting on the The National Aids Trust report that notes that homophobic bullying in schools was common and often unchallenged by staff, Liberal Democrat Higher and Further Education spokesperson, Stephen Williams MP said: "To tackle homophobia in schools requires effective leadership and getting the entire school community to accept that all pupils should be treated with respect."
