Responding to the vote (by 314 to 270) of the Liberal Democrat Conference to reject a call from Shirley Williams to support the Health and Social Care , Dr Evan Harris – who proposed the deletion of the lines which called for the party to support the peers in backing the bill in its current form – said,
"The Liberal Democrats have clearly and democratically told their ministers and their leaders that they do not support the bill. This can not be ignored. Although many wish to see no bill at all – for good reason – a significant number would support a bill which was amended to comply with what the the Sheffield conference called for last year, so that the bill is more in line with the Coalition Agreement. Most Liberal Democrats are appalled that the Government is defying the Information Commissioner and the appeal tribunal over the Risk Register."
The requirements from last March have been published and it is time for Liberal Democrat ministers to engage with what we have called for.
The party will not stand for its views to be ignored as we have supported the Coalition and Coalition Agreement but can not support this Bill in this form."
Evan Harris is on [email protected] and 07867 538896
You can read Dr. Harris' speech in full here.
