The Liberal Democrats today welcomed an announcement by the BBC Trust that independent radio producers will soon be supplying more content to the BBC.

This follows Liberal Democrat recommendations that a Window of Creative Competition (WoCC) should be introduced for radio. Independents would have the chance to pitch alongside in-house producers for this section of BBC programming.

Welcoming the coalition government's announcement that wheel clamping on private land is to be banned, Hazel Thorpe, Lib Dem Parliamentary Campaigner for Worthing West said:

Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Chris Huhne this morning delivered a speech on Labour’s legacy at a joint press conference with Conservative Party Chairman, Sayeeda Warsi.

Chris Huhne said: 
Check against delivery

Commenting on the £1.1bn pre-tax half year profits announced by Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) today,

Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Treasury Policy Committee, Stephen Williams said:
“RBS is almost entirely owned by the taxpayer, so these huge profits must be used for the national interest and not just to pay massive bonuses to senior staff.

Commenting on Barclays’ interim results,

Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson, Lord (Matthew) Oakeshott said:
 
“Barclays’ bumper profits from their New York-based gambling operation Barclays Capital prove the urgent need to break up the banks. It’s back to business and bonuses as usual as if the crash never happened.

Commenting on Girlguiding UK’s petition to introduce compulsory labelling on airbrushed images,

Liberal Democrat MP Jo Swinson said:
“I am delighted that Girlguiding UK is taking up this issue. I co-founded the Campaign for Body Confidence out of concern that people of all ages are feeling so much pressure over their body image - especially young girls.

Responding to comments by Labour MP Chuka Umunna following Mervyn King’s appearance before the Treasury Select Committee,

 Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Treasury Policy Committee, Stephen Williams said:
“The crisis in the Eurozone demanded that tough action needed to be taken.

Commenting on today’s speech by the Home Secretary in which she said  it was ‘time to move beyond’ Anti Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs),

Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee for Home Affairs and Justice, Tom Brake said:
“The Home Secretary has listened to Liberal Democrat concerns. 

Commenting on Labour's decision to oppose legislation for a referendum on the alternative vote, which was a commitment in their manifesto,

Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader, Simon Hughes said:
“This is staggering hypocrisy from Labour.

Commenting on the documents released today showing that Labour ministers were formally warned that the military needed an alternative to the Snatch Land Rover in Iraq and Afghanistan, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs & Defence, Tim Farron said:

Commenting on Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne’s statement on the Government’s long-term proposals to create a secure, low carbon economy,

Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee for Energy and Climate Change, Andrew George said:
“Climate change is the greatest threat we face as a society and a planet. I am proud that Liberal Democrats in Government are taking this seriously and proposing radical steps to tackle it.

Commenting on the Prime Minister’s support for Turkey’s membership of the EU,

Liberal Democrat peer Baroness (Meral) Hussein-Ece said:
 
“Finally a British Prime Minister recognises the importance of Turkey for Britain and gives it credit for its role in Europe and the world. Turkey has been a friend of our country and the EU for decades but was always treated as the poor relation.

Commenting on the release of redundancy and compulsory early retirement payment figures for the Department of Transport under the Labour Government,

Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee for Transport, Martin Horwood said:
 
“These figures show how careless Labour had become with public money as they slowly staggered towards their final curtain.

Commenting on the Government’s announcement of a Pupil Premium to target funding at schools that take pupils from deprived backgrounds,

Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee for Education, Dan Rogerson said:
“Labour’s unequal education system left too many children falling behind.

Commenting ahead of the Home Secretary’s statement on elected police commissioners, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee for Home Affairs and Justice, Tom Brake said:

Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee for Home Affairs and Justice, Tom Brake has written to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to urge it to consider evidence that will be presented at the inquest of Ian Tomlinson.

Commenting on the Coalition Government’s announcement that it has introduced a Bill to compensate Equitable Life policyholders,

Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Treasury Policy Committee, Stephen Williams said:
“The Labour Government had 10 years to help the those who had their lives ruined by the collapse of Equitable Life and did nothing.

Commenting on Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg’s statement that Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre, where children are detained awaiting deportation, will be closed, Co-Chair of the

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee for Home Affairs and Justice, Tom Brake said:
“The closure of Yarl’s Wood detention centre is a victory for British decency.

Commenting on Eliza Manningham-Buller’s evidence to the Chilcot Inquiry, in which she said the conflict in Iraq ‘substantially’ increased the threat to the UK from international terrorism, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, Tim Farron said:

“This is a shattering blow for Labour’s claim that the Iraq war did not increase the terrorist threat to Britain.

Commenting on the Bank of England’s report ‘Trends Lending’, which finds that banks withdrew £46bn in lending to UK businesses over the last year,

Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson, Lord (Matthew) Oakeshott said:
 
“The banks inflicted a savage £46bn squeeze on British business in Labour’s last year in office.

In his speech at the liberal think-tank Demos, Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg today set out his aims for a liberal Parliament.
Full text of the speech is below:

Commenting on the Home Secretary’s announcement of a review of counter-terrorism laws,

Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee for Home Affairs, Tom Brake said:
“Under the Labour Government, hard won rights and liberties that have been a fundamental part of British life for centuries were eroded or simply cast aside.

Commenting on the Home Secretary’s announcement that stop and search powers will be subject to stricter conditions,

Tom Brake MP, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee for Home Affairs, Justice and Equality, said:

Commenting on today’s Supreme Court ruling that it is not acceptable to refuse asylum to an individual on the basis that they can hide their sexuality to avoid persecution,

Liberal Democrat Deputy, Leader Simon Hughes, said:

Commenting on the Government’s announcement that there will be an inquiry into the treatment of terror suspects,

Tom Brake MP, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Committee for Home Affairs, Justice and Equality, said:

Commenting on today’s announcement of a referendum on AV,

Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader, Simon Hughes said:

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg today announced the appointment of John Sharkey as chairman of the Liberal Democrats’ Fairer Votes Campaign.

The Liberal Democrats last night won all three seats in Camden Council’s delayed Haverstock West election, beating Labour and improving their share of the vote by six percent.

Commenting on the result, Liberal Democrat Party President, Ros Scott said:

The Liberal Democrats will today [Tuesday] launch a five-point plan to deal with the excesses of bankers bonuses. The proposals will include a regulation to stop any loss-making banks from paying discretionary bonuses, to ensure there are no rewards for failure.