The Change Tiverton and Honiton Needs!

Household savings have plummeted to their lowest level in 50 years, official figures published today have revealed. It comes after figures yesterday showed household borrowing has continued to grow, with unsecured consumer credit increasing by £1.7bn in May.

Vince Cable has warned the stark figures show the economy is on an unsustainable footing and that this could have "severe consequences" when combined with the impact of an extreme Brexit.

The Liberal Democrats have accused Jeremy Corbyn of failing Labour voters who wanted a different approach to Brexit, after he imposed a three-line whip on his MPs to abstain on a cross-party amendment to keep the UK in the single market.

Only 49 Labour MPs voted for the amendment, fewer than a fifth, while the rest abstained.

Former Equalities Minister Jo Swinson MP has said the government's last-minute announcement that women from Northern Ireland will be able get abortions for free on the NHS in England shows "the power of cross-party pressure."

Jo Swinson was among the MPs who had signed an amendment by Stella Creasy on the issue, which had been selected for a vote today.

The Liberal Democrats have accused the government of treating schoolchildren like "battery hens," as shocking figures published today have revealed the number of pupils in classes over 30 continues to soar.
344,000 secondary school pupils are now being taught in class sizes over over 30, up 21% compared to two years ago

The Liberal Democrats have called on Jeremy Corbyn to ensure a cross-party amendment on the single market is backed by "the many, not the few" in a crucial vote later today.

The cross-party amendment to the Queen's Speech, signed by all Liberal Democrat MPs, calls on the government to set out proposals to stay in the single market and customs union.

This follows the Liberal Democrats leading calls to increase pay for firefighters, nurses and police in the wake of the Grenfell Tragedy and recent terrorist attacks.

The party has also urged Labour MPs to back amendments calling on the government to keep Britain in the single market and customs union, warning that an extreme Brexit would mean the country cannot afford to invest more in public services.

"These figures must be a wakeup call for the Conservatives, in Britain, 4.6 Million people endured persistent hardship and poverty. For all the Conservatives talk, these figures show they just don't care and sadly, I think poverty is going to get worse.

"The divisive Brexit the government is pushing is putting jobs at risk and this means more and more people will be driven to the edge.

Ed Davey said:

"The government announcement on EU citizens leaves so much in doubt. From the description it seems as if this is ID cards by the backdoor.

"David Davis resigned his seat and caused a by-election because he was disgusted by the assault on civil liberties by the then Labour government. What will he do this time round?

"Far from being 'fair and serious', this proposal offers very little and shows the government is continuing in its callousness. Theresa May should be utterly ashamed this is the best they can come up with, a year on.

It offers little in the way of reassurance to EU citizens who have made Britain their home and continues to use them as bargaining chips.

The Liberal Democrats have criticised Theresa May as "cold and heartless," following the shock revelation she blocked attempts to guarantee the right to stay for EU nationals immediately after the referendum.

In a scathing editorial in the Evening Standard today, George Osborne revealed that "in the days immediately after the referendum, David Cameron wanted to reassure EU citizens they would be allowed to stay. All his Cabinet agreed with that unilateral offer, except his Home Secretary, Mrs May, who insisted on blocking it."

It comes as the Liberal Democrats have set out a list of four demands that must be addressed in the government's paper on the rights of EU nationals on Monday, including ending the "bureaucratic nightmare" faced by EU citizens applying for permanent residency.

A recent report revealed that at the Home Office's current workrate, it will take around 11 years to process the millions of expected residency requests from EU nationals.

Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake said: