http://www.inbusiness.libdems.org.uk/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from Liberal Democrats in Business en-GB Liberal Democrats in Business http://www.inbusiness.libdems.org.uk/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2008 Liberal Democrats in Business 2008-09-07T19:51+01:00 United Kingdom http://www.inbusiness.libdems.org.uk/news/000903/helping_people_from_ethnic_minorities_back_into_work_vitally_important__alexander.html Commenting on today's [Friday] National Audit Office report on increasing employment rates of ethnic minorities, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Danny Alexander said: "It is vitally important to help people from ethnic minorities into work in order to tackle child poverty and entrenched deprivation in these communities. 2008-02-01T00:01+00:00 http://www.inbusiness.libdems.org.uk/news/000902/government_failing_to_prevent_rising_repossessions__cable.html Ahead of the release of government statistics on repossessions tomorrow, the Liberal Democrats have highlighted figures showing the recent big rise in repossessions. 2008-01-31T14:52+00:00 http://www.inbusiness.libdems.org.uk/news/000901/new_property_tax_wont_fix_failed_council_tax__goldsworthy.html Commenting on today's [Thursday] report from the New Local Government Network, which proposes replacing Council Tax with a Local Property Levy, Liberal Democrat Shadow Local Government Secretary, Julia Goldsworthy said: "While the Government obsesses with gimmicks, most people are more concerned with how they will pay their Council Tax bill. 2008-01-24T00:01+00:00 http://www.inbusiness.libdems.org.uk/news/000899/council_tax_increase_double_the_rise_of_public_sector_pay__goldsworthy.html Responding to the Local Government Association's survey suggesting that Council Tax is set to rise by an average of 4% this year, Liberal Democrat Shadow Local Government Secretary, Julia Goldsworthy said: "The Government's decision to limit public sector pay to 2% sits starkly alongside the fact that Council Tax is set to rise by twice that amount. 2008-01-24T00:01+00:00 http://www.inbusiness.libdems.org.uk/news/000900/microgeneration_and_energy_efficiency_schemes_needed_to_reduce_emissions__webb.html Commenting on today's European Commission announcement on renewable energy targets, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, Steve Webb said: "The Government is spending far too much time on grand energy schemes which will not be up and running for many years, when what we need is urgent change. 2008-01-23T14:46+00:00 http://www.inbusiness.libdems.org.uk/news/000898/extra_energy_company_profits_should_be_used_to_help_poorest_families__clegg.html Ofgem has called on the extra profits energy companies will make because of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to be spent on reducing fuel poverty. 2008-01-17T13:45+00:00 http://www.inbusiness.libdems.org.uk/news/000895/banks_should_reduce_charges__cable.html Commenting at the start of the court case between the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and several high street banks about bank charges, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: "Banks are not charities and it is perfectly acceptable for them to levy charges when customers breach the terms of their bank accounts. However, trying to pretend that it costs upwards of £30 to return an unpaid direct debit is laughable. 2008-01-14T14:12+00:00 http://www.inbusiness.libdems.org.uk/news/000896/cable__northern_rock_sense_has_prevailed_but_questions_must_be_answered.html Commenting on the recruitment of Ron Sandler to lead Northern Rock in the event that the bank is nationalised, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable MP said: "If the Government has now finally accepted our advice that public ownership is the least bad option, this is a very strange way in which to prepare for it through a leaked announcement. 2008-01-12T16:08+00:00 http://www.inbusiness.libdems.org.uk/news/000897/northern_rock_must_use_money_from_assets_sale_to_reduce_borrowing__cable.html Commenting on the announcement that Northern Rock is to sell part of its mortgage assets to the investment Bank JP Morgan, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable said: "If the money from this sale is used to reduce further borrowing from the Government, then it is probably desirable. 2008-01-11T10:35+00:00 http://www.inbusiness.libdems.org.uk/news/000888/sarah_teather_mp_chosen_to_lead_post_office_fight.html New Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg has asked Brent East MP Sarah Teather to lead the fight against Labour's Post Office closures by promoting her to Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Enterprise. 2007-12-21T12:16+00:00 http://www.inbusiness.libdems.org.uk/news/000889/world_bank_funding_must_herald_change_in_policy__featherstone.html Commenting on the news that Britain is to provide the World Bank with more than £2bn over the next three years Liberal Democrat Shadow International Development Secretary, Lynne Featherstone MP said: 2007-12-14T08:06+00:00 http://www.inbusiness.libdems.org.uk/news/000890/government_bungled_capital_gains_tax_reform__cable.html Commenting on Alistair Darling's announcement that he is to review the proposed abolition of Capital Gains Tax taper relief, Acting Liberal Democrat Leader and Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable MP said: "The Chancellor promised the CBI last month that he would bring further proposals to the reform of Capital Gains Tax, yet today we discover we will not hear any announcement until next year. 2007-12-13T09:30+00:00 http://www.inbusiness.libdems.org.uk/news/000891/government_cant_ignore_risk_of_housing_crash__cable.html Commenting on figures released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders showing that interest repayments swallow up 20.6% of first-time buyers' monthly incomes, Acting Liberal Democrat Leader and Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable MP said: "Ministers can no longer ignore the possibility that millions of people could face the misery of negative equity and repossessions if the housing market turns. 2007-12-12T09:04+00:00 http://www.inbusiness.libdems.org.uk/news/000892/farepak_families_must_receive_compensation__burt.html Commenting on today's government statement on the failed Christmas hamper company Farepak, Liberal Democrat Small Business Spokesperson, Lorely Burt MP said: "There's absolutely no Christmas comfort here for hard-pressed Farepak families. 2007-12-10T10:20+00:00 http://www.inbusiness.libdems.org.uk/news/000893/liberal_democrats_to_seek_constructive_dialogue_on_wind_power__opik.html Commenting on Government proposals to potentially power every home in Britain by wind energy by 2020, Liberal Democrat Shadow Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Secretary, Lembit Öpik MP said: "If John Hutton is signalling a change in policy towards real sustainable energy, he's taking a responsible and considered position. 2007-12-09T11:05+00:00