LIB DEM MEP EDUCATION SPOKESPERSON WELCOMES ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR UK STUDENTS

Posted on By Rowena Lewis

Judith Bunting, Liberal Democrat MEP for the South East and Spokesperson for Education in Europe, has today welcomed the news that the European Commission has called for an additional €3bn worth of funding for the 2020 Erasmus+ programme, a 12% increase from 2019.

Most notably, Erasmus+ provides funding for university students and apprentices to live, learn and work for extended periods of time in EU member states. Since its inception in 1987 it has provided opportunities for over 9m people.

Judith, who also sits on the European Parliament Committee for Culture and Education in Europe (CULT), says: “I am absolutely delighted to see that the European Commission has called for an extra €3bn worth of funding for the Erasmus+ programme. This is a life-changing scheme that enables young people IN THE UK to live, study and train abroad. Erasmus+ symbolises all that’s great about the EU and, most importantly, HELPS ensure young people, are prepared for a world in which business is increasingly done on a global level.

“With this additional funding, the number of young British lives we could embolden by providing them with the means of living in new cultures and learning new languages is endless. That’s why I’m resolute in my belief that by leaving the EU, we would be failing our young people.”

LibDems set out plan for December 9th General Election

Posted on By Rowena Lewis

This week, the Liberal Democrats proposed a Bill that should break the deadlock between Johnson’s government at the EU. 

The Bill amends the Fixed Term Parliament Act to hold a General Election on Monday December 9th.

It is well know that we believe a ‘People’s Vote’ is the best way forward to stop Brexit, but currently we have not been able to get enough support in parliament, from either  left or right, to make this happen. 

Boris Johnson has failed to meet his October 31st ‘do-or-die’ deadline to get out of the EU, and cannot get his Bill through Parliament, so we have been in gridlock.

This Bill succeeds in three direction at the same time: First it forces a General Election on December 9th. It also takes no-deal off the table, and removes from Boris Johnson any control of when the next General Election takes place. 

The Liberal Democrats want to stop Brexit, and have led the campaign for a People’s Vote. 

We have put down 17 amendments arguing for a PV and voted for PV amendments seven times. In contrast, 19 Labour MPs backed Boris Johnson’s Brexit Bill and Jeremy Corbyn refused to back our People’s Vote amendment last week.

There are millions of people in the UK who believe that we are better off inside the EU, and they deserve a better choice than two Brexiteers in Johnson and Corbyn.

We are ready to take our pro-European message to the country, where our policy will be that a Liberal Democrat majority government will revoke Article 50 to Stop Brexit.