Teacher-pupil ratios in early years education have fallen across England according to official figures released yesterday and analysed by the Liberal Democrats. There are 40 local authorities where the ratio of qualified teaching staff to pupils in primary schools has fallen, and 50 authorities where the ratio has fallen in nursery schools.
Lib Dem MP Tim Farron, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hill Farming and DEFRA Select Committee member has welcomed the announcement that auction marts will reopen next week - allowing farmers outside the high risk zone in the South East to get back to business. Mr Farron had been working alongside NFU officials over the last week to persuade ministers to agree to this easing of restrictions.
Local MP Tim Farron was grilled by pupils from the Lakes School as part of Radio Ambleside on his life as a politician and his opinions on some of the hot political potatoes of the day. Tim was joined by ten children from the school during a 45 minute 'Question Tim(e)' type event.
The process for selecting the candidates for the Liberal Democrat list for the South East of England for the European Parliament elections is now well underway. The candidates are: Ben Abbotts, Jim Barnard, Catherine Bearder, Sharon Bowles, David Grace, Simon Green, Antony Hook, Murari Kaushik, Gary Lawson, Martin Lury, Ajmal Masroor, Justine McGuinness, Fiyaz Mughal, Zoe Patrick and John Vincent.
Local Lib Dem candidate Stephen Robinson returned from party conference having been interviewed on ITV as coming from 'one of the most winnable constituencies in the region'. You can watch the interview just over two thirds of the way through the programme on the ITV website (see link at end of story).
Mike Lynch is fighting for the 49 bus to be returned to Throckley.
