We are delighted to announce that we are standing 33 candidates across the 18 wards in Bournemouth's two parliamentary constituencies this May.  All our candidates are local people with a passion for their communities and they're all eager to serve on the new Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole local authority.

Visit our Candidates page for more details.

Lib Dems stop Tories from offering up NHS in return for trade deals.

Today Liberal Democrat Lords inflicted two significant Government defeats on a bill which could have allowed healthcare deals offering access to the NHS to be signed in return for trade deals.

The two cross-party amendments, which restricted the application of the Bill to the EEA and Switzerland and also restricted the scope of the regulation making powers, were passed by the House of Lords by 36 and 38 votes respectively.
 
The Healthcare International Arrangements Bill legislates for the Government to makes reciprocal healthcare agreements with other countries.

Responding to The Guardian investigation which has found teachers are cleaning and paying for books and pens to plug the gaps in school funding, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Layla Moran said:

“We are clearly in the midst of a crisis over school funding and these revelations must result in direct action by the Conservatives. This investigation should shame the Tory Government.
 
“With teachers covering for cleaners and parents donating money for essential services there is no way Conservative Ministers can deny there is a lack of funding for our schools.

Following recent reports of a major oil find off the beaches of Bournemouth and Poole, local Liberal Democrats are keen to remind government of the huge potential offered by non-polluting wind turbines. This reminder comes as the Tories announce a half-hearted commitment to offshore wind.

Bournemouth’s “postcode lottery" over health checks branded a disgrace by Lib Dems.

The Liberal Democrats have today warned of a “postcode lottery” as official figures reveal only 33.4% of people in Bournemouth have been offered a health check over the last 5 years, significantly below the national average of 85.21%.

Local campaigners Henry Castledine and Gary Mitchell have been calling for improvements to the beach and clifftop in West Southbourne.


"We feel that the council has neglected the lighting in the beach area for far too long and it needs improving." Said Henry. "We've carried out an extensive survey in the area and found that many local residents agree with us."

At a press conference in London today, seven members of the Parliamentary Labour Party split from Jeremy Corbyn's Labour. Amongst other reasons they cited institutional anti-semitism within the party, a bullying culture and Jeremy Corbyn's failure to stand up for the United Kingdom's best interests by opposing Brexit.

With elections to the newly combined authority for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole on the horizon, Liberal Democrat Local Government Spokesperson Wera Hobhouse said:

“This settlement does nothing to address the growing inequalities across our country. The highly regressive council tax system means that, as the Conservative Government continue to underfund local government, subsequent council tax rises hit poorer communities the hardest.

Responding to NHS England’s first weekly report of the winter which shows hospitals are so overcrowded care is being put at risk, former Liberal Democrat Health Minister Norman Lamb said:

"It is intolerable to think that patients are being turned away at their hour of need. These reports bear all the hallmarks of yet another Conservative NHS winter crisis. People deserve better.