North West Liberal Democrats

Today as we mark the international day for persons with disabilities, I am very aware that one billion people around the world live with a disability - that's roughly 15% of the global population. I am one of them, mainly using a wheelchair and sometimes walking with sticks. I could have written something smooth and supportive, but I am angry at having to be an afterthought in our society today.

On 10th December 1948, history was made. The United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In the shadow of the Second World War, the nations of the world came together to declare that everyone - no matter who they are and where they live - has the same fundamental rights.

With one voice, we pledged to "strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance."

It means that we have now secured a number of important changes to the Bill, including:

• Creating exemptions to the new offence of "entering or remaining in a designated area" so that it doesn't apply to aid workers, journalists, people visiting ill relatives or those attending funerals.
• Protecting journalism and academic research from the new offence of accessing terrorism-related material online.
• Requiring the Government to commission an independent review of the Prevent strategy.
• Limiting new powers to detain people at ports and airports to cases involving national security.

"Irresponsible politicians" have been told to "step aside" after the Government's homelessness figures released today show that 50 people died in Greater Manchester alone last year, rising to 119 for the North West region and representing 20% of the country's total mortality rate.

Across England and Wales, 597 homeless people died in 2017, representing an increase of 24% over the last five years.

Responding to the figures, Manchester Liberal Democrat leader, John Leech said:

"Anyone that walks down a street in Manchester will have seen the terrifying increase in homelessness and rough sleeping, but very few have been quick enough to recognise this crisis and both the Government and local Council have been completely inept at building social and affordable homes in any sort of effective manner.

"At every opportunity, the Government has been ignorant towards those who are struggling to make ends meet, and unfortunately that is twinned with a completely incompetent Manchester Council whose idea of dealing with vulnerable people is to spend tax payer's money shunting them to another city, banning them from visible areas, taking them to court and refusing affordable housing.

"We warned that Manchester was heading towards a London-style housing crisis and now we are faced with the country's second highest mortality rates - it's shameful, embarrassing and most importantly, completely avoidable.

"Irresponsible politicians who have shied away now need to step aside and allow for a joined-up approach to tackle this crisis and the causes of it effectively and quickly; investing, improving mental health and local services, renovating and building genuinely affordable homes and ensuring that no one is left on our streets, no matter what the cause or reason."

The NHS can't recruit the doctors and nurses it needs. Families are separated by complex visa requirements. People without documents are denied access to healthcare and housing. Decades of incompetence and cruelty by Labour and Tory Home Secretaries has shattered confidence in the system.

The Liberal Democrats demand better. We demand a more effective and compassionate immigration system. A system that works for our economy and treats migrants and asylum seekers with dignity.