Hinckley & Bosworth Liberal Democrats

Recent updates

Hinckley Councillor champions Midlands cause at national conference

Article: Mar 21, 2022

A Hinckley councillor took part in a national panel discussion on the need to champion issues affecting Hinckley and the rest of the Midlands.

Hinckley Liberal Democrat Councillor Michael Mullaney appeared on the panel discussion at national Liberal Democrat conference.

The panel also featured North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan and deputy leader of Oadby and Wigston Borough Council Samia Haq.
Bosworth Tory MP votes against plans to "name and shame" water companies killing animals with sewage

Article: Mar 21, 2022
- New "name and shame" law would have led to annual figures on animals killed by sewage dumps
- Liberal Democrat proposal to take new action against water companies blocked by Conservative MPs
- Otters across England and Wales found to have been poisoned in rivers
The Conservative MP for Bosworth against a new law which would have forced water companies to report on the number of animals killed by sewage dumps.
6,670 "Squeezed middle" families in Hinckley and Bosworth to receive no help with soaring energy costs

Article: Mar 2, 2022

Over 6,670 "Squeezed middle" families in Hinckley and Bosworth won't receive any help with soaring energy bills, analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

The Government is only offering a Council Tax rebate on households in council bands A-D. This means households in bands E-F across the country will not receive this support to help cope with soaring energy bills.
County Council budget shows Tory government continue to take people of Leicestershire for granted

Article: Feb 23, 2022

Leicestershire Liberal Democrats have attacked the Conservative government for taking the people of Leicestershire for granted.

It comes as the Conservative County Council budget was passed today, which included a 2.99% Council Tax rise. This means a Leicestershire Band D Council Taxpayer will have to pay over £42 more Council Tax to the County Council.
Over 20,000 pensioners in Hinckley and Bosworth left out in the cold as government breaks pensions triple lock promise

Article: Feb 22, 2022

The Liberal Democrats have accused the Conservatives of leaving pensioners in Hinckley and Bosworth with a "hole in their pocket" after breaking a manifesto promise to protect the state pension.

In the wake of inflation hitting a thirty year high of 5.5% in January, a typical pensioner in Hinckley and Bosworth is set to see their income fall by £171.60 this year in real terms. This is a total loss of income of 3,821,532 between 22,270 pensioners in Hinckley and Bosworth due to the Conservative government's decision to break a key manifesto promise and scrap the triple lock on pensions.
Scrapping of Covid tests: 7,740 people in Hinckley and Bosworth to face £500 "tax on caring"

Article: Feb 22, 2022

The Liberal Democrats have warned that the scrapping of Covid lateral flow tests will slap Hinckley and Bosworth with a £4,194,903 "tax on caring," with as many as 7,740 residents facing costs of over £500 a year to take regular tests and visit vulnerable relatives.

Despite the easing of Covid restrictions, the latest figures show that every week an estimated 7,740 people in Hinckley and Bosworth take regular Covid tests, with 13,710 tests being taken in an average week. This includes people who take tests to protect their elderly relatives and friends, or vulnerable workers who work in people-facing industries such as hospitality and are concerned about their health.
Energy price hike: Lib Dems set out cost of living rescue package, to save struggling families in Hinckley and Bosworth almost £1,000

Article: Feb 7, 2022

The Liberal Democrats have set out a "cost of living rescue plan" that would save thousands of struggling families in Hinckley and Bosworth nearly £1,000 this year.

It comes after Ofgem announced a crippling rise to people's heating bills, with the energy price cap set to soar by 54% to £1,971 in April.
Hinckley and Bosworth left lagging behind by the Government's broken promise on broadband

Article: Feb 7, 2022

Boris Johnson's promise to provide 85% of homes and businesses in Hinckley and Bosworth with high-speed broadband by 2025 is set to be broken, local Liberal Democrats can reveal.

Analysis of House of Commons Library data by the party has found that jus 9.7% of premises in Bosworth constituency had gigabit broadband availability in 2021.

At the current rate of progress, only 10% of homes and businesses in areas will have gigabit access by 2025. This is well short of the Government's promise of providing 85% of premises with high-speed broadband by that date.

It comes as households and business owners in Hinckley and Bosworth brace themselves for the cost of broadband to skyrocket in April. Several broadband providers have announced their prices will go up by 9.3%, in line with CPI inflation of 5.4% in December - the biggest rise in almost thirty years.

With this hike on the way, Hinckley and Bosworth Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to legally require all broadband providers to automatically offer cheaper deals through 'social tariffs' for struggling families. This move could save as many as 9,096 people in Hinckley and Bosworth around £270 a year on their broadband bill.

Michael Mullaney Liberal Democrat Councillor for Hinckley De Montfort, said:

"These damning figures show the Conservatives are once again breaking their promises and failing to meet their targets to boost broadband speeds in Hinckley and Bosworth.

"This pandemic has shown how vital access to broadband is for learning, for work and for staying connected. But local families and businesses are being left in the digital slow lane and face crippling hikes to their broadband bills, on top of tax raids and soaring energy prices.

"The Liberal Democrats are demanding cheaper broadband deals for struggling families in our community, saving them hundreds of pounds a year. The Government cannot stand idly by while the cost of living crisis hits residents in Hinckley and Bosworth in the pocket."

Danny Findlay Borough Lib Dem Councillor for Burbage Sketchley and Stretton who has campaigned for better broadband coverage locally said "I have championed for better broadband and householder connectivity since being elected in 2019. It is shameful that key promises and target are being missed, time and time again.

"High speed broadband is no longer a 'nice to have' it is an essential service of everyday life. Whether that be connecting distant families and friends, education, work or leisure I would urge the Government to get real on the issue.

"Now is the time to stop under delivering and over promising, using an area in my constituency as an example, seven years to wait for this infrastructure is wholly unacceptable. Action, not words, is needed to drive down the installation lead times but more importantly bring the cost of the service down so that it is accessible to all."
Sue Gray update: Bosworth's Conservative MP cannot hide behind lame excuses any longer

Article: Jan 31, 2022
- Hinckley Liberal Democrat Councillor calls on Luke Evans MP to sack Boris Johnson
- Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey says "It's time Conservative MPs did their patriotic duty"
Responding to Sue Gray's update on parties being held in Downing Street during Covid lockdowns, Liberal Democrat Hinckley Councillor Michael Mullaney said:
Hinckley and Bosworth Council calls for Prime Minister to go

Article: Jan 26, 2022

Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council has passed a motion tonight calling for the Prime Minister to resign.

Proposing the motion Hinckley Liberal Democrat Councillor Michael Mullaney said "People from all political parties and none have called for the Prime Minister to resign. This includes the Conservative MP for North West Leicestershire Andrew Bridgen and former Conservative Cabinet Minister David Davis. The numerous parties that took place in Downing Street when the rest of Britain was following rules show that Mr Johnson has lost the moral authority to rule.