Letter sent to Neil Hudson MP from P&B LibDems

Dear Dr Hudson, Together with Refugees

I am writing to you on behalf of Penrith & the Border Liberal Democrats.
People in Penrith and the Border want kindness and compassion in our own lives, in our
communities, and for others. This includes upholding the long British tradition of welcoming
people who seek asylum in the UK and giving them a chance to build a new life. We have
been happy to welcome refugees into Penrith and the Border and across Cumbria. Our
community is enriched by the economic and cultural contributions of our increasingly diverse
population - and this very much includes refugees.
We are shocked by the Government's proposals that will prevent people seeking asylum in
the UK and deny those who are waiting for a claim to be heard the means to live a dignified
life. How we treat refugees is about who we are. If any one of us feared for our lives or for our loved ones, we would want to know that others would help us to safety. This means standing up for people's ability to seek safety in the UK no matter how they came here and ensuring
people can live in dignity while they wait for a decision on their asylum application. It means
empowering refugees to build their lives and make valuable contributions to our communities.
And it means the UK working with other countries to do our bit to help people who are forced
to flee their homes.

The Boundary Commission has announced extraordinary new Parliamentary Constituencies for Cumbria which have astounded and bemused many local people.

Only someone sitting in an office in London who has never been to Cumbria could come up with new constituencies that put Windermere in with Whitehaven, Kirkby Lonsdale in with Alston and crosses the county boundary to Lancashire.

The UK government is proposing a new Immigration Bill that will effectively end asylum in this country. The Bill even has an option to develop "offshore" asylum processing. Good job that Pritti Patel was not in charge when the Kindertransport [or even her own parents] arrived.

Penrith and Eden Refugee Network - PERN - are asking people to sign an open letter to Neil Hudson, our MP. The Immigration Bill is being debated in Parliament very soon and we want our MP to oppose the bill, just as he opposed the cut in international aid.

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to grant EU citizens the automatic right to stay in the UK, with the physical proof they need, as new Home Office figures reveal 80 people in Eden are still waiting for a decision on their Settled Status application, a small fraction of the 380,200 waiting in the UK.

CUMBRIA POLICE & CRIME COMMISSIONER ELECTION MAY 2021
Lib Dem candidate: Mark Christie

As with many rural areas across the UK, rural crime is having a major impact on farmer's businesses, but also their mental health. According to NFU Mutual, livestock theft across the country costs farmers over £2.4 million a year, whilst theft of quad bikes is estimated to cost £2.3m and other agricultural vehicle theft over £5m. In the past year, there has been a 9% increase in rural crime, with a price tag estimated at £54m. Almost 70% of farmers and rural businesses have experienced criminal acts within a 12-month period.

Cumbria Liberal Democrats have attacked local Conservative boasts about police funding as "smoke and mirrors" that dress up a potential Council Tax rise as if it were extra funding from the Government.

Local Conservatives have claimed that "Cumbria Police is set to receive an additional 6 million in its funding, thanks to the Conservative Government's increase to police budgets." However, detailed Home Office figures reveal that the Government is only giving Cumbria Police an extra £3.5 million for the financial year 2021-22.

UK - European Union Deal - Outcome with no upsides not much better than "no deal"

This letter was published in the 'Cumberland & Westmorland Herald' on 2nd January 2021.

Penrith and the Border Liberal Democrats have written to Grant Shapps, the Secretary of State for Transport, to support the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line in their campaign to gain Community Rail Partnership status.

This would give the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line the right to be consulted by Northern on any changes to the services or timetables on the Settle-Carlisle Line.

The old zoom draw technique was brought into action again with the folded tickets in an ideologically sound woven basket overlooked by the Gold Club committee.

Looking forward to the days when we can all meet up in what our Prime Minister would call 'a public indoor space selling alcohol' so that you can all supervise the draw.

How has the Covid-19 pandemic been for the UK? The story so far:

"Conference believes that it is becoming increasingly clear that the UK Government failed to prepare properly for a pandemic and has been slow to act; in particular conference believes that:

A. The level of testing was initially far too low and took too long to ramp up.